Izale McLeod insists quitting the Dons for a second time never crossed his mind.
McLeod ran ten man Walsall ragged and grabbed a brace to put a dent in their play off hopes and opened the scoring on the half hour.
Winger Samir Carruthers threaded the ball into the area and McLeod chipped keeper Richard O'Donnell from fourteen yards.
One minute before the break McLeod burst into the box and was scythed down by Saddlers skipper Andy Butler who was sent off before co-striker Ben Reeves drilled in his ninth of the season from the spot.
In the 70th minute McLeod sealed a first win for the Dons in six games with his seventh goal of the season.
Defender Dean Lewington played a ball over the top of the Walsall defence and McLeod raced into the left side of the area before blasting in from twelve yards.
And McLeod's super show left manager Karl Robinson purring. He said:
"In our hour of need he has come up trumps for us. I couldn't be more proud that he's scored two and won the penalty, but I'm proud of the group today. It's been a good day."
Winger Samir Carruthers threaded the ball into the area and McLeod chipped keeper Richard O'Donnell from fourteen yards.
One minute before the break McLeod burst into the box and was scythed down by Saddlers skipper Andy Butler who was sent off before co-striker Ben Reeves drilled in his ninth of the season from the spot.
In the 70th minute McLeod sealed a first win for the Dons in six games with his seventh goal of the season.
Defender Dean Lewington played a ball over the top of the Walsall defence and McLeod raced into the left side of the area before blasting in from twelve yards.
And McLeod's super show left manager Karl Robinson purring. He said:
"In our hour of need he has come up trumps for us. I couldn't be more proud that he's scored two and won the penalty, but I'm proud of the group today. It's been a good day."
"Izale’s missed out all season because Patrick was in unbelievable form. He was wonderful though. The man of the match decision was quite easy."
Walsall's wretched day was summed up in the 89th minute when Liverpool loanee striker Michael Ngoo was up-ended in the box by defender Antony Kay before seeing keeper David Martin save his weak penalty.
McLeod was proving a menace before he scored and hit the side netting, clipped two efforts just over the bar and saw O'Donnell make a great block before things started going his way.
The defeat Walsall knocked out of the play off places, boss Dean Smith was more upset with whistler James Linington. He blasted:
" I don't think it was a sending off because their player was taking the ball away from goal. We shall have a look to see if its worth an appeal.. I thought the referee was poor all game. We were second best in the first half and that's what cost us."
Walsall's wretched day was summed up in the 89th minute when Liverpool loanee striker Michael Ngoo was up-ended in the box by defender Antony Kay before seeing keeper David Martin save his weak penalty.
McLeod was proving a menace before he scored and hit the side netting, clipped two efforts just over the bar and saw O'Donnell make a great block before things started going his way.
The defeat Walsall knocked out of the play off places, boss Dean Smith was more upset with whistler James Linington. He blasted:
" I don't think it was a sending off because their player was taking the ball away from goal. We shall have a look to see if its worth an appeal.. I thought the referee was poor all game. We were second best in the first half and that's what cost us."
McLeod has struggled to find the form that saw him join Charlton in a £1.1 million deal in 2007 and was kept out of the side by Patrick Bamford until the seventeen-goal Chelsea loanee moved on to Derby last month.
But McLeod, 29, revealed:
"This season's been difficult for me sitting on the sidelines and not figuring as much as I'd like, but there was never any thought in my mind about leaving. It's a club I want to be at. The gaffer gave me an opportunity and I took it.
"I've had to bide my time and hopefully the second half of the season will be my time to score and play games."
Reeves admitted he had a let change of heart when preparing to take the spot kick. He explained:
"I changed my mind about where I was going to put it about five seconds before I took it. You're not supposed to do that, but it was just as well I did because I had been planning to put it exactly where the goalie dived."
But McLeod, 29, revealed:
"This season's been difficult for me sitting on the sidelines and not figuring as much as I'd like, but there was never any thought in my mind about leaving. It's a club I want to be at. The gaffer gave me an opportunity and I took it.
"I've had to bide my time and hopefully the second half of the season will be my time to score and play games."
Reeves admitted he had a let change of heart when preparing to take the spot kick. He explained:
"I changed my mind about where I was going to put it about five seconds before I took it. You're not supposed to do that, but it was just as well I did because I had been planning to put it exactly where the goalie dived."
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