MK Dons beat Salford City 2-0 in a clash of two of the season's fastest starters, with Nathaniel Mendez-Laing's first-half stoppage-time penalty and a late Paterson chip enough to settle the contest.
Victory lifted the Dons above Salford in the table, the hosts withstanding sustained pressure from a visiting side that enjoyed most of the possession but could not find a way through.
Salford's Early Warning Goes Unpunished
Salford missed a great chance to take an early lead when Kelly N'Mai struck the bar after Craig MacGillivray spilled Josh Austerfield's shot.