Substitute Cameron Jerome was the hero as MK Dons avoided a FA Cup upset with a narrow 1-0 win at National League Barnet

Russell Martin’s Sky Bet League One side have never been beaten by non-league opposition in the competition.

But they left it late to put the valiant Bees to bed in a scrappy encounter at The Hive.

The game sprung into life on the half-hour mark when Regan Poole’s volley cannoned off the underside of the crossbar with former Watford goalkeeper Scott Loach stranded.

Dons striker Stephen Walker inexplicably fired over the bar from inside the box with the goal gaping.

Barnet’s first sight of goal came just after the break as JJ Hooper fired an effort over from outside the box.

Bees left-back Jerome Binnom-Williams was in the right place at the right time to deny the visitors an open goal.

With 20 minutes left, Carlton Morris lashed the ball wide as the League One outfit upped the ante.

Alexander McQueen almost caught Lee Nicholls out as the goalkeeper had to scramble to parry his corner behind.

The non-league side’s resistance was cruelly broken with nine minutes remaining as Jerome poked home Daniel Harvie’s drilled cross.

Harvie – denied by Loach – and Jerome, firing over, both failed to put the game beyond doubt late on.