CREWE, England (Interstat) — Milton Keynes Dons opened their League Two campaign with a commanding 3-1 victory over Crewe Alexandra on Saturday at Mornflake Stadium, defying a pregame projection of a draw.

The visitors established control early and never relinquished it, with defender Curtis Nelson opening the scoring in the 12th minute. Milton Keynes Dons doubled their advantage in first-half stoppage time, as substitute Marvin Ekpiteta found the net just before the break to give his team a commanding two-goal lead at halftime.

Any hope of a Crewe Alexandra comeback was effectively extinguished in the 66th minute. Substitute Alex Gilbey, who had entered the match in the second half, extended the lead to 3-0 with a well-taken goal. Gilbey was instrumental in Milton Keynes Dons’ final goal as well, providing the assist for forward Adrien Thibaut’s strike in the 75th minute.

Crewe Alexandra managed to salvage a consolation goal late in the match, avoiding a shutout on home soil. The goal came from a defensive error by the visitors, but it did little to change the trajectory of the match.

The game’s physical intensity was reflected in a flurry of yellow cards in quick succession just before the hour mark. Milton Keynes Dons midfielder Max Sanders was booked in the 59th minute, followed immediately by his teammate Gilbey in the 60th minute for a subsequent challenge.

The result provided a perfect start to the League Two season for Milton Keynes Dons, who began the campaign with a win and no losses. For Crewe Alexandra, the defeat marked a disappointing start, leaving them with a record of no wins and one loss in the league. Both teams’ records across all competitions mirror their opening-day league results.

The outcome surpassed the pregame analytics from Interstat, whose game simulator had projected a 1-1 draw. Their ELO rating system had given Milton Keynes Dons a narrow 51 percent probability to win, a forecast the team exceeded with a decisive two-goal margin of victory.

Key performances from Milton Keynes Dons’ substitutes proved decisive. Alex Gilbey led all players with a goal and an assist after coming off the bench, while Marvin Ekpiteta’s first-half stoppage-time goal as a substitute critically shifted momentum just before halftime. Starter Adrien Thibaut capped the scoring for the visitors, and midfielder Max Sanders contributed an assist before his booking.

The match drew a crowd to Mornflake Stadium for the opening weekend of the English Football League’s fourth-tier season, with the visiting supporters leaving pleased after a display that combined early defensive solidity with effective finishing, particularly from players introduced during the match.