Previewing MK Dons’ home game against Gillingham, kicking off at 12:30pm

Home form is in desperate need of a lift for MK Dons and they will have their work cut out for them when they take on Gillingham on Saturday.

Kicking off at the earlier time of 12:30pm, Paul Warne’s side will be eager to put to bed their run of four consecutive defeats at Stadium MK against a Gills side who have lost just once since their manager took over in March.

While Gareth Ainsworth will be absent from the sidelines after heart surgery earlier this week, his Gillingham side will be keen to bounce back too, having suffered their first loss of the season and indeed his reign last time out, going down 1-0 to Harrogate Town – a result which saw them drop from the top of the table to third behind Walsall and Swindon Town.

Dons returned to winning ways last time out thanks to their 2-1 win over struggling Shrewsbury Town, lifting them to ninth spot having picked up just one point during September prior to the game at Croud Meadow. They remain unbeaten on the road under Warne’s watch, but at home they have won only once since he took over on April.

There have been 22 meetings between the teams down the years, with Gillingham winning the lion’s share of them, claiming 11 wins to Dons’ eight, with three draws. Last season, both games ended in 1-0 wins for Gills. At Stadium MK, Robbie McKenzie’s shot from range squirmed between keeper Tom McGill’s legs, ending Dons’ six-game winning run, while Bradley Dack’s stoppage time strike piled on more misery for Ben Gladwin’s side in April in what turned out to be his final game in caretaker charge of the side.

Their win at MK1 last season though was Gillingham’s first in Milton Keynes in a decade, with their previous triumph coming back in 2014.

Referee Darren Drysdale will take charge of the game - his ninth outing of the season. Thus far, he has booked 22, and shown three reds while awarding two penalties. Dons saw him twice last season, in the 3-0 defeat at Plough Lane to AFC Wimbledon, and the 1-0 away win at Cheltenham Town in April.

A regular official for Dons, in 22 games reffed, Dons have won ten, drawn five and lost even, while Gillingham have seen him 21 times, winning just six times, drawing four and losing 11.

Harley McKittrick and Conall Bartlett will run the lines with Fourth Official Alan Young.

Bookmakers bet365.com have Dons at 10/11 to win the game, Gillingham at 14/5 and 12/5 the draw.