A look ahead to MK Dons' trip to face Accrington Stanley
Previewing MK Dons’ trip to the Wham Stadium to take on Accrington Stanley on Saturday, kicking off at 3pm
After nearly two weeks, MK Dons return to League Two action this Saturday when they take on Accrington Stanley.
Dons’ FA Cup third round game last week against Oxford United meant they have not kicked a ball in the division since January 4 and the 2-2 draw against Chesterfield.
They head to the Wham Stadium to take on John Doolan’s side sat in 14th, but their league position barely tells the story of their season. Five wins in their opening 18 games in all competitions - one of them being a 2-1 win over Dons at Stadium MK - saw Stanley struggling at the wrong end of the table.
Come October though, a run of three draws started to see their fortunes change. In 11 games, they have won seven and lost just twice, with that run seeing them recover to a midtable berth, separated now from the lower reaches of the division.
They come into the game off the back of three straight wins, but while Dons have played three times already this year, Stanley have not played at all since New Year’s Day.
This will be the 17th meeting between the sides since their first crossing in 2006. Dons have claimed victory in nine of those, but their fortunes in Lancashire have been patchy of late, with just one win in their last six visits to the Wham Stadium, coming in 2023 when both sides would be relegated from League One.
While Accrington are yet to move in the transfer market, Dons are three signings into the window, having captures Ben Wiles (Huddersfield), Jay Matete (Sunderland) and Curtis Nelson (Derby County), with all three in line to make their league debuts for the club.
Referee Ross Martin will take charge of the game. In 17 games this season, he has shown 65 yellow cards, three reds and awarded two penalties.
He has overseen this fixture before, officiating the 2-1 Dons win at Stadium MK last season - his only Dons game. Accrington have only seen him once more in their 1-1 draw with Grimsby earlier this season.
Assistants Kenwyn Hughes and Jack Nield will run the likes with fourth official Karl Buckley.
Bookmakers bet365.com have MK Dons at 6/5 to win the game, with Accrington at 12/5 and 23/10 the draw.