MK Dons boss Mark Jackson believes his side are building vital momentum in the relegation battle following a 1-0 home victory over rivals Morecambe.

A smart finish from Jonathan Leko – playing for the first time since a three-match ban – was enough to claim all three points and push the Dons four points clear of the drop zone.

Against a team also battling to stay in Sky Bet League One, a third straight victory for the Dons could prove crucial come the end of the season.

Jackson said: “It’s a really pleasing result of course, and we’ve got some really good momentum now, at a crucial stage of the season.

“It’s a massive result for us, but there’s still a lot more work to do, we all know that.

“It gives the players that bit more confidence, it gives them a spark, and it lifts everyone – we’ve just got to keep this momentum going now.

“The attitude and application shown by all the players was excellent today. It’s a third straight clean sheet, too, so that’s another big positive.

“At the other end we know we’ve got more goals in us as well – that’s the target to score more goals now also.

“There’s been a real structure to the way we play, and that ought to help us keep this good run going.”

Defeat leaves Morecambe 22nd in the table, three points off safety, and manager Derek Adams is under no illusions about the dogfight his side find themselves in.

“I don’t know whether we’re going to survive this season, I’ve not got a crystal ball, but as I say, we’ll just keep going and work as hard as we can to get the results we need,” added Adams.

“The spirit in the dressing room is fantastic – we’ve lost the game but the confidence is still there.

“I thought we played really well – in the first half we were excellent and passed the ball superbly at times. We opened up MK Dons a few times, but the thing we didn’t get was enough shots on target.

“We’ve no illusions of grandeur at our club, we know where we are budget-wise in this division.

“The players have been exceptional, but that was the reason we came up short. It’s just not finding the right pass at the right moment maybe, but that’s where we are as a team.”