Colin Cameron denied Macclesfield a victory over former boss Paul Ince with a dramatic equaliser deep into stoppage time.

An impressive display gave the Silkmen a two goal cushion after going a goal down early on, but in a thrilling second half Leon Knight pulled a goal back on 72 minutes before Cameron's late strike.

MK Dons started the game brightly and Macc struggled to kick into gear in the opening exchanges.  Lloyd Dyer pulled the ball back to Kevin Gallen in the ninth minute and after he dragged his shot across the box Richard Edghill blocked Knight's follow-up attempt.

Minutes later Gallen was played in behind the Macc defence by Knight's flick and the ex-QPR man went down in the box under minimal contact with the referee waving away his claims for a penalty.

Adam Murray drew the first save from Dons keeper Willy Gueret - his ambitious 30 yard effort was held at the second attempt by the ex-Swansea keeper as Michael Husbands closed in for the rebound.

The visitors took the lead on 20 minutes when Keith Andrews was allowed to shoot from outside the box and Tommy Lee could only palm his drive into the bottom corner when he maybe could have done better.

Conceding the goal seemed to wake Macc up and the quick, passing football which looked so effective against Bradford and Leeds returned.  Levi Reid's effort was deflected behind for a corner and a Kevin McIntyre free kick was palmed clear by Gueret as Macc searched for an equaliser.

The goal came on 33 minutes when Murray's pass found Francis Green in a dangerous position with the keeper stranded off his line.  Gueret got the slightest of touches on Green's lob but it wasn't enough to prevent it dropping into the net.

Gallen could have put the Dons back in front moments before half time but he headed well wide when found unmarked at the far post following a free kick from the left.

In a half with few clear-cut chances at either end Macc had improved after going a goal behind and came out even better after the break looking hungry for more goals.

A good move on the left involving Terry Dunfield and Green allowed Danny Thomas to cross from the by-line but it was plucked out of the air by Gueret.

At the other end Andrews couldn't get the ball out of his feet to find Jon-Paul McGovern unmarked to his right, and when he eventually got his shot away it was deflected behind.

Martin Gritton was introduced for Michael Husbands and it took just three minutes of his debut for him to find the net.  A McIntyre set piece from the left found Carl Regan at the back post and after his header was blocked Gritton was on hand to power the ball in from close range to give Macc the lead.

Martin Gritton - Put Macc in front after being on the pitch for just three minutes

Six minutes later the Silkmen were 3-1 up courtesy of a wonderful finish from summer signing Green.  Reid's ball to Gritton was cut out and as he found the ball back at his feet his second pass found Green surging forward.  The ex-Boston striker cut inside his man and rifled the ball past Gueret for his third goal in just two league games for the Silkmen.

Francis Green - Three goals in two league games so far for the Silkmen and was inches away from completing his hat-trick

However, the visitors pulled a goal back when McGovern's low cross from the left found Knight - after failing to find a team-mate the ball fell back to him and he lashed in from 12 yards.

Almost straight from the restart Macc could have put the game to bed when Green had a great chance to complete his hat-trick but his thunderous shot cannoned off the underside of the bar and somehow stayed out.

Murray won a midfield tussle with Andrews in the centre and powered forward, he let fly from 20 yards and his effort was tipped around the post.

The dangerous Knight looked to have fouled Edghill on the left and after appeals for a free kick were waved away his driven cross was put behind by Luke Dimech.  Tommy Lee came out and gathered the resulting corner at full stretch at the far post.

Macc got deeper as the game entered the final ten minutes looking desperate to hold on to their now slender advantage, with anchorman Jordan Hadfield introduced in place of a quiet Danny Thomas.

Jude Stirling came off the bench for MK and his long throws soon caused problems for the home defence.  After a string off balls launched into the box Cameron found space on the edge of the area but his volley flew over the bar and out of the ground.

Drewe Broughton came on for Lloyd Dyer with five minutes remaining as Paul Ince threw on his big men to pack the box as the Macc backline retreated further.

A free kick on the left following another long throw was deflected for a corner and Lee was booked for wasting time.

Another defensive change saw Jimmy McNulty come on in place of Reid as the fourth official showed five minutes of added time amid groans from around the ground.

The dramatic equaliser came in the last of the five extra minutes and following another long Stirling hurl into the box.  Centre back Sean O'Hanlon's looping header rattled the crossbar and just as Macc breathed a sigh of relief the ball was only cleared to Cameron on the edge of the box who found the top corner to give the Dons their first point of the season.

Andy Brinkhurst