CITY kicked off the new season in impressive fashion with a win at promotion favourites MK Dons.

T&A chief sports writer SIMON PARKER was at Stadium MK yesterday and provides the match stats and his player ratings.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Alex Pattison scored a belting goal and ran himself into the ground in his first full game since his season-ending injury in December.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Pattison called it the best goal of his career and there was no arguing with the quality of his fizzing early strike from outside the box.

MOAN OF THE MATCH

City should have done better with several opportunities on the counter-attack but a loose pass or wrong decision let them down.

TACTICS

Graham Alexander handed competitive debuts to Antoni Sarcevic, Aden Baldwin and Neill Byrne while Alex Pattison played his first league game since December 22.

Pattison and Antoni Sarcevic played as the advanced midfielders behind Andy Cook and Calum Kavanagh.

With a full squad to choose from, Alex Gilliead, Sam Stubbs, Tyler Smith and Lewis Richards were the notable names missing from the bench.

REFEREE: Tom Reeves (Coventry)

BOOKING: Offord (MK Dons)

ATTENDANCE: 7,561 (with 1,761 away fans)

SHOTS ON TARGET: MK Dons 5 City 2

SHOTS OFF TARGET: MK Dons 8 City 5

CORNERS: MK Dons 4 City 2

FOULS: MK Dons 9 City 11

POSSESSION %: MK Dons 68 City 32

PLAYER RATINGS

MK DONS: McGill 6, Lawrence 7, Tucker 6, Sherring 6, Nemane 8 (Tripp 80min), Offord 6 (Carroll 80min), Kelly 6, Tomlinson 6, Gilbey 7, Wearne 7 (Leigh 70min), Hendry 6 (Dennis 66min). Subs (not used): Lewington, Harrison, Harness.

CITY: S Walker 7, Baldwin 7, Byrne 7, Kelly 6, Halliday 6, Smallwood 7, Wright 6 (Oduor 70min), Sarcevic 7 (Shepherd 84min), Pattison 8, Kavanagh 6 (Oliver 84min), Cook 6 (J Walker 70min). Subs (not used): Young, Pointon, Doyle.