A look ahead to MK Dons' game against Doncaster Rovers

Dean Lewington will be taking charge of his fourth game in charge of MK Dons, but for the first time will be in the dugout at Stadium MK on Saturday to take on Doncaster Rovers.

The skipper has twice stepped into the breach before, overseeing a thrilling 3-3 draw at Bolton in August 2022, before, in December 2023 taking charge of the 4-1 defeat to Bristol Rovers in the EFL Trophy, then leading the side to a brilliant 2-0 win over Portsmouth at Fratton Park.

Mike Williamson’s exit from MK1 on Thursday has once more put Lewington in the hot seat, where Dons will be eager to get back to winning ways after back-to-back away defeats this week.

The humiliating defeat to AFC Wimbledon last Saturday was followed by a 2-1 reverse against Colchester United - albeit in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy - in Williamson’s final game in charge.

Doncaster Rovers head to Stadium MK on Saturday sitting sixth in the table, with four wins and two defeats to their name, the reverse form of Dons meanwhile, who sit a lowly 20th.

Dons’ only two wins of the season have come on home soil, while both of Rovers’ defeats have come on the road – most recently their last run out against Harrogate last Thursday.

In 19 previous games between the sides, Doncaster have claimed the spoils in nine of them, with Dons winning only four, with five draws. Games between the sides at MK1 are notoriously tight, with each of the last five separated by just one goal. Doncaster have won in MK five times in nine visits, but were beaten 2-1 in this fixture last season after goals from Warren O’Hora and Daniel Harvie.

Referee Simon Mather will take charge of the game. In his five games so far this season, he has shown ten yellow cards and one red. It will be only his third Dons game, overseeing the 1-0 defeat to Accrington Stanley in Mike Williamson’s first game in charge last October, and the 2-2 draw with Stevenage in the FA Cup at Stadium MK in November 2021.

Scott Williams and Alex Mathieson will run the lines with Fourth Official Adrian Tranter.

Bookmakers bet365.com have MK Dons at 27/20 to win the game, with Doncaster at 19/10 and 12/5 the draw.