A look ahead to MK Dons' trip to take on Cheltenham Town
Previewing MK Dons’ League Two encounter against Cheltenham Town at the EV Charger Points Stadium, kicking off at 3pm
Returning to winning ways will be a top priority for MK Dons on Saturday when they face Cheltenham Town.
Paul Warne’s side dropped to sixth place this week after dropping points to Grimsby Town last time out but they remain just three points from second place heading into the game at the EV Charger Points Stadium.
The Robins have been in miserable form of late, losing five of their last six in League Two to sit 18th in the standings ahead of kick-off. Their only win of the year came against Scott Lindsey’s Crawley in an emphatic 3-0 triumph on home soil.
And it has been at home where Cheltenham have picked up the brunt of their points, winning six and drawing one of their 14 games at Whaddon Road. Away form has been their achilles heel though, with the third worst road form in the division. And that was reflected earlier in the season when visiting Stadium MK, they were thumped 5-0 by Dons.
Saturday will be the 15th meeting of the sides, with Dons claiming eight wins to Cheltenham’s two, with four draws.
Gloucestershire has been a relatively happy hunting ground for Dons in that time too, losing only one of their seven visits - the last on Boxing Day in 2018 under Paul Tisdale.
Dons defender Sam Sherring is on loan at Cheltenham this season but will be ineligible for the game against his parent club. The 25-year-old began as a regular for the Robins but injury kept him out for two months, only returning last Saturday in the 3-1 defeat to Accrington, coming off the bench for the final 21 minutes at the Wham Stadium.
While Dons added just keeper Charlie Setford on loan, Cotterill was a busy man on transfer deadline day, bringing in three players - Mo Faal, Harry Ashfield and Isaac Hutchinson, while Ibrahim Bakare and Harrison Sohna both departed.
Referee Carl Brook will take charge of the game, his 24th run out of the season. In those previous 23, he has shown 88 yellow cards, nine reds and awarded four penalties.
Cheltenham have seen him 11 times during his career, resulting in three wins, three draws and five defeats. He has taken charge of Dons eight times meanwhile: five wins, one draw and two defeats.
Assistants Daniel Flynn and Marvyn Amphlett will run the lines with fourth official Daniel Robinson.
Bookmakers bet365.com have Dons at 4/5 to win the game, with Cheltenham 16/5 and 13/5 the draw.