Brentford striker Lasse Vibe has given the home side a half-time lead against MK Dons at Griffin Park.
Defender James Tarkowski had the hosts' first glimpse of goal in the opening 10 minutes, but could only fire the ball behind and into the stands.
Josh Murphy then had the first opportunity for MK Dons to take the lead, hitting the ball high and wide from 10 yards out before Dean Bowditch forced Brentford stopper David Button into a save a minute later.
It was the home side who broke the deadlock, however, with Vibe latching on to a Jake Bidwell cross and heading in from six yards.
Brentford should have been two up before the 30-minute mark as Alan Judge smashed the bar with a free kick, and the Dons then had Antony Kay to thank as he cleared a Konstantin Kerschbaumer effort off the line.
Vibe put the ball into the back of the net for a second time but saw the goal disallowed for offside, before Dons striker Nicky Maynard had his own finish chalked off for making his run a little too early, keeping the home side 1-0 up at the break.
