MARTIN LING has been beaten to the League One Manager of the Month award for November by Milton Keynes Dons boss Roberto Di Matteo.

The O's manager was nominated for the award after leading the Londoners to an unbeaten November - a month that has seen them climb out of the relegation zone and progress to the third round of the FA Cup.

MK Dons - the last team to beat the O's back in October - have also enjoyed an impressive month and their rise to second in the League One table grabbed the attention of the judging panel.

Peterborough's Darren Ferguson and Leicester's Nigel Pearson were also nominated for the prize.

Chris Kamara, chairman of the judging panel, said: "It has been a fairytale start to life at MK Dons for Roberto Di Matteo.  Although he played at the highest level he had been out of the game for five years prior to his appointment and many thought it might take him a while to find his feet in management.

"But Roberto has proved his doubters wrong by keeping the club moving forward brilliantly and their results this month have demonstrated that MK Dons are going to be serious contenders for the League One title this term."