A frustrating 2020 for MK Dons ends in style

It's a year which finishes with Dons comfortably midtable, but 2020 was a frustrating period for Russell Martin.

Escaping the League One relegation zone on January 1, there have been ups, downs, a few games at the very bottom, some good performances and bad ones too. He has lost key players, gained some as well, all the while tip-toeing through the Covid-19 environment which has left Dons, as well as the majority of football clubs, with empty grounds and coffers.

But finishing with back-to-back victories has his side in confident style against Bristol Rovers and Swindon Town, Dons head into the New Year on the up, but 2020 will be a year of missed opportunities for Martin.

"It has been frustrating," said the manager when talking about 2020. 2There have been some outstanding performances, there have only been a couple we haven't shown what we're capable of. You can see when we're really at it and on top of our game.

"We haven't won enough, that's been our biggest frustration, we've drawn too many times and let too many games slip away from us. Mentality-wise, the group has gotten stronger. It takes time, we're working towards something that is not easy to achieve and to attain and to have an identity whilst doing it.

"We are making progress but we have to avoid games like Plymouth because it opens everything up to being questioned. We have to justify what we're doing with results, and we haven't done it enough.

"But we got the right mix of players for what we're trying to do to have a really strong second half of the season."