FOREST GREEN ROVERS are a step closer to back-to-back relegations following a 2-0 defeat against MK Dons.

FGR remain rooted to the bottom of the table as goals in each half from Max Dean and Alex Gilbey sealed a 2-0 Sky Bet League Two for promotion-chasing MK.

Struggling Rovers pressed the self-destruct button five minutes before the break. Dominic Thompson inexplicably surrendered the ball to Dean, who finished well beyond Vicente Reyes.

A scuffle ensued as both teams entered the tunnel at the break but it was the promotion-chasing Dons who came out punching a minute after the restart and Norwich loanee Reyes kept out a Gilbey strike from the edge of the box.

Gilbey grabbed the visitors’ second in the 50th minute. Leeds loanee Lewis Bate cut Rovers open for Kyran Lofthouse to pick out Gilbey, who made no mistake.

The victory sees Mike Williamson’s side climb into the automatic promotion places with three games to go.

Rovers remain rooted to the foot of the table, three points adrift of third from bottom Sutton with four games to play.

But defiant boss Steve Cotterill felt his side were in contention throughout the game.

He said: “I thought in the first half, up until the goal I thought we might have had the better chances.

“They’re a good team and are up there for a reason and it could have been so different.

“I’m disappointed with the result and the manner of the goals, but I’m not disappointed with their performance.”

The wins for the Dons saw Mike Williamson’s side climb to third in the table with three games to go.

He heaped praise on his side, saying: “The lads deserve a lot of credit because it was a real hard battle for 95 minutes and we had to show all sides of our character.

“We were huffing and puffing and I thought as though our frustration was starting to seep a little bit, but we need to just keep a lid on that and just purely focus on what we were trying to achieve.

“And because it’s a tight pitch and they were very organised and disciplined, it was going to be fine margins."