David Artell was delighted with his side’s second successive away win and clean-sheet. His Alex side deservedly came away from Stadium MK with three points thanks to Mikael Mandron’s first half double and although Cameron Jerome hit the post and Will Jaaskelainen was forced into two late saves, it should have been more comfortable than it was for the Alex.

Artell admits though that if we had been offered a 2-0 scoreline before kick-off, he would have ‘snapped your hand off’.

Following the 2-0 away win, Artell said: “We were good and we deserved to win the game. Their staff are saying that we are the best team we have played twice, so that is very complimentary. Grant McCann was very complimentary on Friday as well and we didn’t deserve to lose that one but we put that right today.

“It was a proper game of football and no-one got neck ache today. I like Russell (Martin) a lot and the way his side plays. He has his philosophy and they play good football.

“I didn’t think there is much to choose by ourselves, Hull, who played on Friday and the MK Dons but it is all to do with taking chances. We are fourth or fifth for chances created but not for chances converted and that is the area where we can improve.

“We scored two today and it should have been more. Kirky could have a hat-trick on another day and Mikael could have had at least another one to make it a hat-trick. Our goalkeeper then has to make some saves at the end and it shouldn’t have come to that. We should have been out of sight.

“You know that when you come here you have to work hard and manipulate the ball well. We had a game plan and the players executed it. It is all down to them and they deserve all the plaudits coming their way.

“I thought we thoroughly deserved the win today, for the amount of times we got in behind them and the chances we created and if someone had offered me 2-0 before the game, I would snapped your hand off, so I won’t complain.”