MK Dons star plotting another FA Cup shock against QPR

Bowditch promises League One side will ‘play without fear’ in tonight’s third round replay

MK Dons’ goalscorer Dean Bowditch insists the League One side will come to Loftus Road in confident mood for their FA Cup third round replay.

Bowditch’s strike seemed to have sentenced QPR to yet another early FA Cup exit last week until Heidar Helguson grabbed a late equaliser to take the tie back to west London.

However, the Dons have already won away to Premier League opposition this season – trouncing Norwich 4-0 in the Carling Cup – and Bowditch feels they are capable of sending Rangers packing as well tonight.

“We didn’t deserve what we got in the end and now we’ve got to go there and get a result,” said the 25-year-old. “Everyone was gutted, but we’ve competed with a Premier League side and dominated large chunks of the game.

“It’s been drilled into us by the gaffer and [assistant manager] John [Gorman], just to keep playing, and believing in the ability of the players around you.

“We’ve got no fear when we’re on the ball and no fear when we’re not on the ball, even playing against bigger teams.

“We’ve got no fear whatsoever and we’re going to go there and hopefully do what we did to Norwich, dominate them and win the game.”

Bowditch found the net and ended up on the winning side the last time he played at Loftus Road, helping Ipswich to a 2-1 win in a Championship fixture back in August 2006.

And Rangers, despite their late escape at Stadium: mk, have still failed to win an FA Cup match in their last 15 attempts – the joint longest winless sequence in the competition’s history.

But the fourth round draw has handed them one of the greatest possible incentives to finally break that run, with the winners of Tuesday’s replay due to host Chelsea next.