MK Dons, the summer spenders, the owners of the ‘runaway leaders’ tag this summer, have begun to recover their form following a succession of disappointing results.
Expectation is heavy on Paul Warne’s side after a number of high profile additions were made in order to be key challengers at the top of League Two, following last season’s disappointment where they recorded their worst ever finish with five managers.
Summer Story
The Dons brought in plenty of (attacking) talent this summer: Aaron Collins, Callum Paterson, and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy all joined on undisclosed deals.
Arguably the most high profile deal of the lot was the capture of Guatemala international winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, who reunited with Warne after three years at Derby.
All in all, MK were as a result branded the surefire ‘runaway leaders’. Could they really not gain promotion with that squad?
When numerous signings are made though bonding them together is always key. But with a top coach like Warne at the helm it makes that task easier.
Winning Beginning
MK Dons began the 25/26 campaign in unbeaten fashion: 0-0 against Oldham, 2-0 win in Barrow, 5-0 win against Cheltenham, 1-1 draw in Crawley, and a 2-1 win in Newport.
Goals were flowing, and while the fixture run was favourable, it was still 11 points from a possible 15; that left them 3rd, a point off top with the best goal difference in the league.
Paterson claimed three goals in that spell and was proving an influential addition in the third tier.
Tricky Run Causes Dry Spell
Warne’s men ended August by hosting Walsall – a game against last-season’s ‘promotion bottlers’ ended in defeat by a goal to nil.
That was followed up by a 3-2 defeat to Grimsby, score draw in Chesterfield, and the most shocking of the lot – a 2-1 loss at home to Accrington.
In fairness, the run of games was a vast improvement in terms of quality of opposition to when the Dons had faced to that point.
Still, if MK retain ambitions of the summer nickname they were handed, they have to compete in those biggest games.
Defeat to Accrington should have been the necessary wake-up call, with the visitors dominating all key stats: Stanley took xG (1.83 vs 1.07), total shots (16 vs 7), shots on target (6 vs 3), and corners (5 vs 3).
Crucially too, Warne’s training methods began gaining some comments due to Collins, for one, being injured – having barely missed a game at Bristol Rovers and Bolton.
The Recovery
It’s only been two league matches since the loss to Accrington (who are theyyy?), but already it feels like back to business for the Dons.
23rd-placed Shrewsbury was perhaps the pick-me-up needed, even if a 2-1 victory was all that was managed, including a slightly nervous ending with the Shrews pushing for 14 minutes for a leveller.
The 3-2 home win over Gillingham was much more impressive. Mendez-Laing and Paterson were on the score sheet for that one, both ending a goalless streak across the losses.
“Momentum is massive in this league,” said midfielder Will Collar post-Gillingham. “If you can get good unbeaten runs going, it’s so good for the mentality of the group.
“Things can change quickly in this league, if you can build a run, get some momentum, you can find yourself in a really good place.”
Collar managed a goal and an assist in those two matches, and insists the momentum gained in them should put them in good stead going forwards now.
Cooking on Gas
Next up for MK was a trip to the Memorial Stadium to face Bristol Rovers.
The Dons had an injury doubt in Hepburn-Murphy, who had a hip injury but he ended up playing and scoring.
Alas, the fixture against Rovers should promise a true promotion chasing face-off. The Gas recently saw the end to their unbeaten streak of seven after defeat in Walsall last time out.
Darrell Clarke’s men bounced back in EFL Trophy action, albeit like MK (who fell to West Ham) fielded a rotated setup.
Rovers struggled to find any rhythm during the match and went down 4-0 losers to the in-form Dons.
