A look ahead to MK Dons' Easter Monday trip to Oldham Athletic
Previewing MK Dons’ trip to Boundary Park to take on Oldham Athletic on Monday, kicking off at 3pm
A return to winning ways has to be on the agenda for MK Dons when they head to Greater Manchester on Monday to take on Oldham Athletic, but they will have their work cut out for them.
Micky Mellon’s side are in thumping form of late. Nine wins in 11 games, suffering only one defeat, has seen the Latics launched from 16th on Valentine’s Day, 14 points adrift of the play-off places, to eighth heading into Easter Monday’s clash, just a point behind Chesterfield in seventh.
During that run, Oldham have slipped up just once, and that came last weekend when they were beaten 2-1 by Crewe Alexandra at Gresty Road, but they immediately bounced back with a 3-1 win over Colchester on Good Friday.
Dons meanwhile have stumbled recently, picking up just a point from their last three games, which included back-to-back defeats ending their own 14 game unbeaten run. They remain firmly in the promotion hunt in second spot, and in with a sniff of the League Two title though as those around them have faltered at the same time.
Home form has been decent for Oldham on their return to the league this season, with just four defeats at Boundary Park, with nine wins and seven draws seeing them have the tenth best home form in the division. Dons meanwhile have the best record on the road this season.
Twice the sides have already met this season, both coming at Stadium MK. Oldham’s return to the Football League began on opening day at MK1 when the sides shares a forgettable 0-0 draw, before Paul Warne’s side dumped the Latics out of the FA Cup at the second round stage thanks to a comfortable 3-1 win.
Monday will be the 27th meeting between the sides, but the first at Boundary Park since 2018. That came on opening day in League Two, with Paul Tisdale’s Dons winning 2-1 but it was a game visiting fans will remember for the nasty injury suffered by Conor McGrandles, who had a fractured eye socket and cheek bone after being elbowed late in the day, booed off on the stretcher by the home supporters. He was out for 14 weeks subsequently.
Overall, Dons have won 14 of the 26 games, with Oldham claiming seven wins, with five draws.
Referee Steven Copeland will take charge of the game. In his 26 games this season, he has shown 83 yellow cards, two reds and awarded just four penalties. While Oldham fans have seen him six times (winning twice and losing four times), he has never officiated MK Dons.
Assistants Matt Archibald and Alan Hull will run the lines with Fourth Official Samuel Clayton.
Bookmakers bet365.com have 31/20 to win at Boundary Park, with Oldham 17/10 and 11/5 the draw.