Sean McConville scored a penalty 12 minutes from time to secure a point at MK Dons to preserve Accrington Stanley’s unbeaten start to the League One campaign.

The Reds had lost all their previous four visits to Stadium MK and looked destined for a fifth loss after Ethan Robson’s first half strike.

But the Reds came back – although, as has been the case with John Coleman's side this season, there was late drama with keeper Lukas Jensen making a superb save on 80 minutes and then Ethan Hamilton coming close to the winner in injury time.

Seamus Conneely came back into the starting line-up and it was the Reds who began strongly.

They had a great chance in the opening minutes when Joe Pritchard found Kody Adedoyin in the area and the striker spun and struck the ball goalwards but Chelsea loan keeper Jamie Cumming produced a superb save.

MK grew into the game and Brentford loanee Daniel Oyegoke wasn’t far off with a strike from the edge of the box.

Stanley continued to carve out the better chances, Hamilton’s long range effort pushed out by Cumming and Tommy Leigh heading across the face of goal but no one could get on the end of it.

Mk Dons opened the scoring on 30 minutes but Stanley were frustrated as Mo Sangare was down needing treatment from a Reds attack but the referee Tom Reeves played on.

MK broke and Robson got the ball just inside the Stanley area, raced forward and found the top corner of the net.

Stanley tried to get back in it with an Adedoyin header skimming just wide but then Coleman’s men needed an acrobatic goalline clearance on the stroke of half time from Conneely to keep out Dan Kemp’s strike.

Pritchard dragged a shot wide at the start of the second half but then it was stop-start with little goalmouth action.

Burnley loan keeper Jensen needed treatment after a late challenge from Matt Dennis on 62 minutes and three minutes later, Coleman made a treble substitution bringing on Liam Coyle, Shaun Whalley and a debut for Doug Tharme.

MK had the next chance with sub Matt Smith forcing a save out of Jensen on 69 minutes.

Stanley are the kings of late goals this season though and, on 78 minutes, Adedoyin tried to find space in the area, twisting and turning, and was brought down with the referee pointing to the spot.

McConville sent Cumming the wrong way to celebrate his third goal of the campaign.

There was time for more drama as, on 80 minutes, Dennis received the ball unmarked in the area and it was a superb save, with his legs, from Jensen to deny MK the winner.

Adedoyin fired into the side netting in injury time and Hamilton was inches away from securing three points for Stanley with a stunning strike.

Stanley: Jensen, Clark, Rodgers, Astley, Sangare (Tharme), Conneely (Coyle), Hamilton, Prichard (Whalley), McConville, Leigh, Adedoyin

Subs: Savin, Lowe, Longelo, Woods

Yellow: Astley, Clark, Hamilton, McConville