KIERAN Agard scored the only goal as Oxford United’s pre-season campaign ended with a flat defeat at Milton Keynes Dons.

The front man should have put the hosts in front with a clear chance at the end of the first half, but made amends with a close range finish on 66 minutes.

It was well earned by a home side who had carved out the majority of the game’s clear openings.

United boss Karl Robinson had warned his side would be feeling the fatigue from their exertions over the past month and they looked heavy-legged at Stadium MK.

The visitors looked short of attacking inspiration aside from bright periods to start and finish the game.

They now have a week to recharge and iron out remaining issues before the Sky Bet League One campaign begins at Barnsley next weekend.

Robinson named arguably his strongest line-up to start – and they began brightly.

Passing the ball crisply, the visitors forced Dons backwards and a dart forward by Cameron Brannagan created the game’s first chance.

After reaching the edge of the penalty area he squared for James Henry, whose first-time shot curled wide.

But from there, United’s strong start fizzled out in conditions they had not experienced in the previous nine warm-up games – it began to rain.

Agard should have headed the home side ahead on 13 minutes, but from six yards he steered Peter Pawlett’s free-kick wide under pressure from Curtis Nelson.

An injury to Callum Brittain disrupted the flow of the contest, but when play resumed the Dons looked more likely to score.

Agard headed off target again, this time from a George Williams cross which fizzed in from the right flank.

The striker then turned provider, but Ryan Harley could not quite get on the end of it with the goal at his mercy.

United’s best moment of the half came four minutes before the break.

A clearance from Tony McMahon was turned into something threatening by Jon Obika, who spun Jordan Moore-Taylor.

The referee was about to blow for a foul when the striker got his pass away to set Henry racing in on goal, but his left-footed shot was parried by goalkeeper Lee Nicholls.

It may have been a friendly, but it did not stop Robinson bending the fourth official’s ear over a couple of Dons challenges which escaped unpunished on the edge of their box.

His mood would have been even worse at the break if Agard had found the net from Luke Garbutt’s mistake, but the forward shot wide.

United had to soak up more pressure early in the second half.

A series of corners led to Henry clearing Alex Gilbey’s powerful header off the line, while Simon Eastwood saved from Jordan Moore-Taylor.

The hour mark brought changes for both sides and one of United’s fresh players, Jamie Mackie, quickly dragged a 20-yard shot wide.

But the opening goal came at the other end midway through the second half.

A quick attack saw the ball spread wide to Williams, whose low cross was turned in by Agard.

Searching for a response, Brannagan played an incisive one-two with Carruthers to get a sight of goal in the penalty area, but his shot was blocked. When the loose ball was crossed in dangerously by Garbutt, Obika headed over from a good position.

That was as good as it got until a flurry of pressure late in the game.

Garbutt had a free-kick saved, while Cameron Norman’s terrific cross looked to have set up Fabio Lopes at the back post, but the teenager failed to make contact.

MK Dons: Nicholls, Williams (Cisse 68), Moore-Taylor (Tapp 68), Walsh (Jackson HT, Kasumu 90), Lewington (Hancox 68), Houghton (Nesbitt 75), Brittain (McGrandles 20), Gilbey (D’Ath 60), Harley (Watson 60), Pawlett (Asonganyi 75), Agard (Muirhead 75).

Unused subs: Sietsma, Sole.

Oxford Utd: Eastwood, McMahon (Norman 79), Dickie, Nelson, Garbutt, Brannagan, Ruffels, Hall (Whyte 61), Henry (Mackie 61), Carruthers (Baptiste 79), Obika (Lopes 79).

Unused subs: Shearer, Raglan, Long, Carroll, Mousinho, Napa.

Referee: Andy Woolmer.

Attendance: 2,294 (470 visitors).