Coach Darren Potter confirmed first-team players will feature against Swindon

MK Dons’ Vertu Trophy finale against Swindon Town will not feature as many youngsters as returning first-teamers will be given minutes to keep them up to speed.

Twelve academy products featured in the penultimate game of Southern Group D against Reading, with nine of them finishing the game.

Though there is no chance of Dons progressing into the next round, having lost both games against the Royals and West Ham U21s, Paul Warne looks set to name a stronger side against the Robins with some players edging closer to full fitness.

For several weeks, Aaron Collins and Scott Hogan have been preparing for returns, while Laurence Maguire too has been nearing a return having missed the last few games, and all three could be in with a chance of featuring. Nathan Thompson, Kane Thompson-Sommers and Jonathan Leko have also featured in the Trophy this season.

“It will be different against Swindon,” said first-team coach Darren Potter. “There are a few more senior boys coming back into the fray who need minutes, which is great for us.

“It’s always an opportunity for the players to showcase what they can do. We said the same before the Reading game, where we had a really young squad and we did well only to succumb to a really late goal.”

Swindon have to win by two clear goals in order to qualify for the second round of the competition, and Potter expects Ian Holloway to name a strong side, adding: “Looking at the teams they have put out in the previous games, you’ll expect them to go quite strong because they’ll want to progress in the competition and they have to win by two clear goals.

“We know we’re in for a stern test. They’re doing well in the league, they’re doing well on all fronts.”