Johnstone's Paint Trophy
Grimsby Town 0 Milton Keynes Dons 2
30 March 2008

Attendance: 56,618

After a gap of eight years The Football League Trophy Final returned to Wembley with Milton Keynes Dons taking on Grimsby Town in a match that saw Paul Ince’s Milton Keynes Dons become the first team to lift the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy at the new Wembley Stadium.

The clash pitched the up-and-coming Dons' manager Paul Ince, whose team is currently chasing promotion to League 1, against the experienced Alan Buckley, who had already been to Wembley twice before with The Mariners in the last 10 years.

On a bright, sunny, Sunday afternoon at Wembley the match started briskly and both sides might have gone ahead in the opening 10 minutes. However, it wasn’t until the second half that chances on goal were converted. Finally however, in a well-deserved victory by the MK Don’s, Keith Andrews' second-half penalty and a header from Sean O'Hanlon saw off Grimsby 2-0 and gave Paul Ince his first silverware as a manager.

It could have been a different story had Grimsby’s Danny Boshell not missed a penalty in the 19th minute. However, with Boshell’s effort saved by Willy Gueret it was not until the 74th minute that Milton Keynes Dons’ skipper Keith Andrews eventually broke the deadlock by converting a spot-kick to give Ince’s men the lead.

Whilst both goalkeepers had played key roles in the game, The Dons had produced by far the greater goal threat. However, thanks to a string of fine saves by Mariners’ keeper Phil Barnes the Dons were made to wait until late in the second half for their breakthrough. Barnes made arguably the save of the match in the 73rd minute, diving full length to keep out central defender Sean O’Hanlon’s strike seconds after a Colin Cameron had struck the post.

However, Barnes was finally beaten a minute later as Andrews easily tucked home his penalty following a foul on O’Hanlon by left winger Nick Hegarty.

Just minutes later Milton Keynes Dons’ put the final result beyond doubt when Sean O’Hanlon, rising to meet a Cameron corner, found the net with a powerful header in the 84th minute and secured the victory.

MK Dons skipper and penalty scorer – Keith Andrews was named man of the match.

The last team to win the Football League Final at the old Wembley was Stoke City who beat Bristol City 2-1 in 2000.

Grimsby: Barnes, Clarke, Atkinson, Fenton, Newey, Hegarty, Hunt (Toner 79), Bolland, Boshell, Till (Jones 61), North (Bore 46).
Subs Not Used: Montgomery, Bennett.

Booked: Boshell

Milton Keynes Dons: Gueret, Stirling, O'Hanlon, Swailes, Lewington, Andrews, Navarro, Dyer, Cameron (Baldock 90), Johnson (Wright 77), Gallen (Wilbraham 77).
Subs Not Used: Abbey, Edds.

Booked: Navarro

Goals: Andrews 74 pen, O'Hanlon 81

Ref: Phil Joslin