LATICS contrived to toss away a two-goal lead with eight minutes to go in a thrilling topsy-turvy encounter.

A rainbow hovered high above Stadium MK shortly before kick-off . . . very apt, given that (hopefully) brighter times are now ahead for Athletic.

Richie Wellens’ Latics are certainly playing some delicious stuff right now.

The trend continued here as the manager made one change from Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at Bradford – Queensy Menig winning his first start in place of Gevaro Nepomuceno on the left of midfield.

The visitors, in their changed strip of bright tangerine in keeping with their colourful play, were ahead after just seven minutes when a surging run down the right by Cameron Dummigan found Eoin Doyle who squared it for an unmarked Craig Davies to stroke home. It was great to watch: lightning fast and all on the deck.

Seemingly in control, a defensive slip-up by Ousmane Fane inside the box saw the home side level in bizarre fashion on 17 minutes.

An attempted backpass from Fane deflected off another Latics player, a cross was fired in and Dons skipper Alex Gilbey smashed it home past Johny Placide.

Latics were still looking comfortable and almost regained their lead only a minute later when the lively Menig saw his stinging shot tipped round the post by Dons ’keeper Lee Nicholls.

Placide had to be alert at the other end, saving well from Kieran Agard’s effort on 33 minutes as Robbie Neilson’s men came more into it.

But with half-time approaching, this irresistible Latics side hit the hosts with a double whammy.

First, Menig surged down the left and crossed to Doyle who made no mistake with a close-range volley in off the post on 39 minutes.

Then, in added time at the end of the first half, it was Davies’ turn to cross from the left, Doyle connected again, this time his effort was helped in by Dons defender Joe Walsh. It was no more than the impressive visitors deserved.

It always looked like there would be more goals with Athletic looking like scoring every time they went forward.

But it would be Milton Keynes who struck next, pulling one back 11 minutes into the second half when Ed Upson bent a free kick around the defensive wall and beyond Placide to make it 3-2.

Latics were far from done though and when Jack Byrne swung in an inviting free kick on 63 minutes, captain Peter Clarke, up from the back, was on hand to volley past Nicholls in front of the massed ranks of travelling support behind the goal.

As the game became stretched, the home side wouldn’t lie down and when substitute Aidan Nesbitt, who had only been on the field for just over a minute, was presented with a chance inside the box, he calmly slotted the ball past Placide.

In an unbelievable finish, Upson then fired in after an earlier effort bounced down off the bar with a minute to go.

LATICS: (4-4-2): Placide, Dummigan, Bryan, Clarke, Hunt; Gardner (Omrani 90), Fane, Byrne, Menig (Nepomuceno 69); Davies (Flynn 85), Doyle. Subs (not used): Ruddy, Brian Wilson, Gerrard, Obadeyi.

MK Dons: (3-5-2): Nicholls, Walsh, Wootton (Ariyibi 69), Upson, Cisse (Seager 69), Aneke, Golbourne, Agard (Nesbitt 80), Ebanks-Landell, Brittain, Gilbey. Subs (not used): Sietsma, Williams, Lewington, Tshibola.

Attendance: 9,312 (694 away)

Referee: Antony Coggins.