Previewing MK Dons’ trip to Rodney Parade to face Newport in the early kick-off (12.30pm)

One of the biggest turning points in MK Dons’ season last year came at Rodney Parade and the huge defeat suffered at the hands of Newport County.

Just four days before Christmas, the Exiles put Scott Lindsey’s Dons to the sword in Wales, thumping them 6-3 on a day when everything they hit went in, while the side from MK1 made mistake after mistake and got punished with almost all of them.

It sparked a spiral over the next few months, and they would win only five more games before the end of the campaign.

The reverse fixture at Stadium MK on Good Friday would be Paul Warne’s first in charge after taking over from Lindsey, and in the subsequent eight league games at the helm, Dons are yet to taste defeat. So far, they have picked up eight points from a possible 12, drawing in midweek against Crawley Town.

David Hughes’ side have had a solid start to the season this time around, picking up four points with a win, a draw but head into the game off the back of three defeats in a row in all competitions.

This will be the tenth meeting between the sides, and Dons have won half of them since their first clash in 2016. They have only won twice at Rodney Parade though, with one win in the League Cup and one in League Two back in 2019 when they went on to secure promotion later that year.

Ex-Dons midfielder Matt Smith moved to Newport in the summer after leaving Scottish side St Johnstone. He has featured five times for the Exiles this season so far. Dons skipper Alex Gilbey has fond memories of Newport, having helped them secure promotion from the National League in 2013 while on loan from Colchester United, while injured striker Aaron Collins started his career with the Welsh side.

Referee Stuart Morland will take charge of the game. Morland booked three players in his opening game this term, while he showed 130 yellows, seven reds and awarded six spot kicks last year. He has never officiated a Dons game, and has only overseen one for Newport - a 2-0 home defeat to Notts County back in April.

Thomas Harty and Andy Bennett will run the lines with Fourth Official Elliott Swallow.

Bookmakers bet365.com have MK Dons at 13/20 to win the game, with Newport at 7/2 and 3/1 the draw.