Robinson defends Lines

Karl Robinson defended Port Vale's Chris Lines after his former player's red card during MK Dons' low-key 1-0 victory.

Lines, who had a loan spell at the Dons in 2013, was sent off after 37 minutes at for head-butting Dele Alli and made his team-mates' task that much tougher. The hosts laboured in the second half but held on to the lead given to them by Carl Baker to move up to fourth and five points off an automatic promotion place with three games in hand. Robinson said: "I want to go on record and say that is not his character. "You've seen him play here and 100 per cent that is not who he is so please don't judge him on that. "It was just a red-mist moment and he has made contact with him and Dele didn't make a meal of it and throw himself on the floor and start screaming. "He stayed down on his knees and let the melee pass and let the referee deal with it and I thought he coped with it really well. "They've got some really good players, Port Vale, so hopefully we can use this now as a positive. "You've seen games where we could have drawn that or lost that and I think David Martin has looked pretty safe. "I don't think he was tested that much over the course of 90 minutes so it was a good afternoon for us." MK Dons took the lead after just three minutes when Baker took aim from the edge of the area and shot low across goal and into the far corner. Lines' red card spoiled the game as a spectacle, with Benik Afobe heading wide from close range the closest the Dons came to adding a second. Vale boss Rob Page said: "I said to the boys if you have to lose a game of football then that's the way to do it. "With 11 on the pitch I firmly believe that we would have made a statement and got something out of the game. "We didn't get off to the greatest of starts - after three minutes we concede a disappointing goal - you can't do that at places like this and of course the sending-off changes the course of the game. "Like I've said to the 10 on the pitch they can hold their heads high. "They put a right shift in and I'm proud of them. "No argument with the sending-off - once there is a coming together, he's an experienced player, he knows not to get involved with that. "As soon as you tilt your head forward or there is a coming together you're asking for trouble." Breaking news, transfer gossip, line ups and goal alerts from your football club - delivered direct to your mobile. Sign up for Sky Sports Alerts