A youthful Leyton Orient side were knocked out of the Papa John's Trophy in a penalty shoot-out against League One side MK Dons.

A tightly contented affair, The O’s were the side who forged the best chances, but couldn’t find the decisive goal, before Sotiriou’s miss in the penalty shootout proved costly.

It was all change for Kenny Jackett’s side from the defeat at Northampton, most notably Adam Thompson making his first competitive start in nine months.

Added to the experience was a collection of academy graduates, including Dan Nkrumah, who made his first professional start – brimming with confidence after a hat-trick at the stadium in the FA Youth Cup.

After a sluggish start by both teams, Nkrumah testing the keeper from distance for Orient, the fixture came to life twenty minutes in.

After great build-up play, Ruel Sotiriou found himself in a yard of space on the edge of the box, and shot quickly – with the ball deflecting off of a white shirt, and off of the bar.

The game remained a tight affair, Sotiriou again trying to score from a difficult angle, before Archibald’s effort from 20 yards wound up just the wrong side of the post.

Ethan Robson tried his luck from distance for the visitors, but the shot was wayward, and wrapped up the first half soon after.

The O’s picked up the second half where they left off, and although weren’t seeing the majority of the ball, certainly made the best opportunities.

Connor Wood was next to try and score from distance, his effort perhaps closest, whistling just past the top right.

Jephte Tanga was introduced from the bench, and added some tenacity, before Harry Smith and Tom James followed into the fray.

The trio all made an impact on the game, Harry Smith notably with a chance to win the game in the 88th minute.

Smith took Young’s clipped through ball into his path, settled himself, and fired a powerful low right footed effort just past the post, with Ravizzoli looking well beaten.

Right after, Smith saw one cleared off of the line, after latching on to Dan Happe’s header across goal, as time continued to run out.

Soon after this, MK Dons were reduced to ten men, as Troy Parrott saw read for a clash of heads with Theo Archibald.

This was swiftly followed by Rhys Byrne being called into action, having to tip a deflected block of Dan Happe’s onto the bar, for Thompson to clear.

Penalties soon followed, and Ruel Sotiriou stepped up first courageously, looking to banish the demons from the earlier penalty shootout miss against QPR.

Sadly for Sotiriou though, it was to be the same fate, powering it over the bar.

Nine near perfect penalties followed, Rhys Byrne close on a couple of occasions, before Baldwin stepped up to fire the decisive penalty home, and MK Dons into the next round.

Leyton Orient: Byrne, Wood (James 76’), Happe (C), Thompson, Archibald, Mitchell, Omotoye (Tanga 61’), Sotiriou, Young, Kyprianou, Nkrumah (Smith 76’)

Subs unused: Vigouroux, Pratley, Beckles, Ogie.

MK Dons: Ravizzoli, Watson, Jules, Darling (C), Brown (Eisa 77’), Baldwin, McEachran (Martin 57’), Robson, Boateng, Parrott, Ilunga.

Subs unused: Fisher, O’Hora, Twine, Harvie, Gyamfi.