Milton Keynes Dons rue a number of missed chances as they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Morecambe at Stadium MK.
Former Dons striker Charlie Brown stole victory for the visitors deep into added time, seeing Morecambe pull back from an early deficit to pick up three points.
The match began perfectly for the Dons, who immediately pressed hard and were rewarded with a goal less than two minutes into play.
Max Dean collected the ball just inside the penalty area and curled the perfect shot into the far corner, beating keeper Archie Mair and sending the home side 1-0 ahead.
Recent loan signing Kyran Lofthouse helped cut out a threatening cross deep into the box from the visitors minutes after the opening goal.
Dean attempted to replicate his goal with a similar-looking shot 12 minutes into the match, but his effort was high and over the bar to the relief of the Morecambe fanbase.
Dan Kemp then came close as his half-shot under pressure in the box took a deflection and trickled wide of the post, earning the Dons a corner.
Dean and Kemp combined for a chance on goal, with the former collecting a pass from the latter and striking hard from the right side of the penalty area. Mair was forced into a firm diving save to prevent the Dons from extending their lead.
The Dons came agonisingly close to scoring after 24 minutes, with a perfect passage of play seeing the ball teed up for Dean in the centre of the box, but his strike was narrowly blocked by Mair and sent over for a corner.
Morecambe came close to equalising as a corner flicked off a Dons head and narrowly lofted over the bar and out for another corner.
Dons then came close themselves, with Daniel Harvie's cross picking out Lofthouse in the box, but the ball was high and the loanee kicked it into the ground before it went out of play.
Jack Payne decided to get in on the action, with his own long-range effort sailing wide of the mark 36 minutes in.
The Dons had the majority of the ball throughout the first half but were unable to get the ball on target. The two sides entered the break with the score still at 1-0.
The visitors came out confident of a fightback in the second half, putting early pressure on the Dons, hemming them inside their own half.
Their resilience was rewarded through a goal coming from a corner, as debutant goalkeeper Filip Marschall appeared to miss the ball, allowing Jordan Slew to get in behind him and bundle the ball into the net.
Moments later and the Dons gifted Morecambe another corner, with Warren O'Hora being dispossessed and Daniel Harvie forced to slide into the path of a low cross to send the ball behind.
The Dons began to recover and build themselves back into the match, putting pressure on Morecambe's penalty area, with Gilbey shooting from close range and the team sharing counterattacks through the first 15 minutes of play.
Kemp struck a clean volley from just outside the area, but the ball sailed comfortably into Mair's hands.
Minutes later and a neat passing move sees Joe Tomlinson strike low outside the box, only for Mair to get down and stop the ball with both hands.
Kemp was involved again, receiving a well-placed pass into the box and having plenty of room to shoot, only to see his effort go high over the bar.
A superb defensive effort from Max Dean saw him track back as Morecambe countered, managing to intercept their run of play before being fouled and earning his side a free kick.
An unfortunate moment for recent loan signing Lewis Bate allowed Morecambe to take the lead in stoppage time.
Bate slipped as he was receiving a pass, allowing former Don Charlie Brown to steal the ball and race almost unopposed towards goal. Dean Lewington attempted to chase back but it couldn't prevent the striker from slotting the ball into the bottom corner of the net, giving the visitors a 2-1 lead.
Despite a late flurry of urgency, the Dons were unable to find their way past Mair and will rue the near misses they had in the first half as they come up short.
MK Dons Lineup: Marschall, Lofthouse (83' Lofthouse), O'Hora, Williams, Harvie (83' Lewington), Tomlinson, Robson (75' Bate), Payne, Gilbey (75' Harrison), Kemp, Dean
