MK Dons were made to pay for defensive mistakes at highly-fancied Leicester City, as Roberto Di Matteo's team were beaten on the opening day of the League 1 season.

Foxes forward Matty Fryatt cashed in on two lapses in an otherwise-promising Dons performance, to satisfy most of the 23,351 in the Walkers Stadium, keen to see their side promoted back to the Championship at the first attempt.

Fryatt fired home a 24th-minute penalty after being fouled by Sean O'Hanlon in the area, and then coolly rolled in Max Gradel's cross with seven minutes to go after a Dons defensive mix-up.

For long periods in the game, Di Matteo's side made light of the two divisions that separated these teams last season - more than holding their own after an early onslaught.

The middle third of the game in particular saw the Dons exert some decent pressure on the Leicester goal, only to miss out when good opportunities presented themselves.

How a defensive error from a man in blue would have gone down a treat, the type from which Fryatt had taken advantage of, but the visitors would quickly learn that you get very little for free in League 1.

Aaron Wilbraham battles for possession against Leicester.

With a roaring crowd behind them, the home side put the Dons on the rack in the opening stages, playing at a high tempo with a familiar face leading the charge.

Former Dons winger Lloyd Dyer was at his electrifying best, running at defenders from deep and eating his way into Dons territory frequently.

Dyer saw a shot blocked by Jude Stirling before Fryatt's free-kick was deflected over, before the Dons were really stretched on 10 minutes.

Fryatt got away from Sean O'Hanlon on the Leicester left, curling a delightful ball towards Gradel at the far post, only for Dons defender Dean Lewington to stick out a leg and toe the ball behind.

Dyer was alive again moments later to get onto Steve Howard's knockdown - rounding Dons 'keeper Willy Gueret before hitting the side-netting from a tight angle.

It was backs-to-the-wall stuff for Di Matteo's men, but they started to weather the storm - Keith Andrews and Alan Navarro maintaining possession in midfield and Mark Wright looking a menace down the right.

But just when the Dons thought they had got through an opening 20 minutes they will have expected to be tough, they were undone.

Fryatt nipped in behind O'Hanlon on the left of the penalty area, bearing down on Gueret from a tight angle before O'Hanlon brought him down.

Referee Tony Bates had no hesitation and neither did Fryatt, rifling high past Gueret with aplomb.

The surge of relief through the Walkers Stadium, finally a scene of some joy after a tough 12 months, was obvious. But the goal actually served to settle the visitors down as a large amount of pressure came off them.

Sean O'Hanlon beats Matty Fryatt in the air.

Sam Baldock, handed his first Dons start, found Aaron Wilbraham in space down the right and his clever cutback was just beyond Carl Regan. Wilbraham showed great strength to again get in behind Aleksander Tunchev moments later but was short on support to make it count.

As the half drew to a close, Andrews picked our debutant Florian Sturm on the left and his cutback should have been more profitable for Wright, who fired over the bar from 12 yards.

The visitors continued to push forward after the break, Sturm firing wide and Baldock seeing a ball across goal go unconverted as Leicester started to realise they could be in for a real battle.

The responded with Howard getting on the end of a Dyer free-kick, Gueret making a fine save as the game got rather entertaining.

The Dons created a set-piece chance of their own just before the hour mark - Wilbraham pulling Andrews' free-kick down, almost surprising himself as he stabbed weakly goalwards with more time than he first realised.

Mark Wright tries to escape the Leicester defence.

Sturm was replaced by 16-year-old Adam Chicksen, but not before going close with a blocked shot after getting on the end of another Wright cross.

If anyone was going to score now, it looked like being the Dons, but players of quality can exploit lapses in concentration, and so it proved on 83 minutes.

Substitute Peter Leven and Stirling got in a mix-up half way inside their own half, allowing Gradel to escape into the inside right channel.

With the Dons goal in sight, the winger opted not to shoot, but to pull the ball back to Fryatt, who slotted into the corner from 10 yards.

It was hard on Stirling in particular, who had defended superbly throughout in the absence of the injured Danny Swailes and Drissa Diallo, but Leicester were in an unforgiving mood.

A tough lesson for the Dons to learn, and they will have to learn quickly with the local derby with Northampton to come at stadiummk next Saturday.

First up it's Norwich in the Carling Cup on Tuesday.

Highlights of the Dons' defeat to Leicester will be availble on Dons World 24 hours after the final whistle.

Leicester City: Henderson, Gilbert, Morrison, Tunchev (Hobbs 88), Mattock, Gradel, King, Oakley, Dyer, Howard (Dickov 62), Fryatt.

Subs not used: Martin, Kishishev, Campbell.

Goals: Fryatt 24 (pen), 83.

MK Dons: Gueret, Regan, O'Hanlon, Stirling, Lewington, Wright, Navarro (Leven 68), Andrews (c), Sturm (Chicksen 74), Wilbraham, Baldock (Johnson 80).

Subs not used: Abbey, Cummings.

Booked: O'Hanlon

Referee: Tony Bates (Stoke of Trent)

Attendance: 23,351