Home improvements and early kick-offs: Warne ahead of Fleetwood visit
The MK Dons head coach spoke ahead of Saturday’s game against Fleetwood Town
Home form looks to have picked up for MK Dons but Paul Warne still thinks his side have another gear to find at Stadium MK.
After early season struggles at MK1, Dons have since won three on the spin in the league with triumphs over Gillingham, Crewe and Salford City. Taking on Fleetwood Town in Saturday’s early kick-off, Dons will be looking to make it four in a row, with the opportunity to go top of the league.
“We still want more, obviously,” said Warne ahead of the game. “We’ve tweaked something which may help them, hopefully. If you want to get promoted or have a successful season, home form is the cornerstone and then it’s whatever you pick up on the road.
“Last week’s point on the road only looks good if you can pick up three this week. If we can, and go top of the league before the others start, great.
“I really like the early kick-offs. From a manager’s point of view, the anxiety builds at 3pm. In the early game, I get up, go for a run, have something to eat and hand the team sheet in and get on with it.
“The feeling when you win and you’re driving home is joyous, listening to the radio hearing about other goals going in! I really enjoy it. As a player I really liked it too.”
The Cod Army head to Stadium MK with just one defeat in their last nine matches, three points adrift of Dons and unbeaten against them in the last seven meetings.
While Pete Wild’s side have struggled away from home this season, with both of their away wins in League Two coming in August, Warne said his team have to be wary.
“Fleetwood are doing really well, they’re only three points behind us,” he continued. “In the last six, I think they’ve only lost one, so they’re a proper team. They’re very young, there is a bit of youth on the pitch. They’ve been playing with a 5-3-2, have attacking wing-backs and they’re in really good form. Pete has them really well organised.
“When you go on a good run, you think you’re invincible and your heart leads the head quite a lot. They’ve got a lot of encouragement for how well they’ve been doing and they’ll come here on Saturday fancying themselves to cause an upset.
“We know it will be hard, because we think we’re doing well and they’re only three points behind.”