New club record for MK Dons with six straight lock-outs
Another clean sheet in the books for MK Dons
It is now six game and six clean sheets for MK Dons since Paul Warne took over at the helm - a new record at the club.
Saturday’s lock-out was a record for the club, a run stretching back to April 18 and the goal-less draw with Newport County at Stadium MK. While personnel and formation have changed over pre-season, the lack of goals against remains, with goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray thus far unbeaten.
While the keeper has barely been challenged since the arrival of Warne and his coaching staff, the defence has held firm, with Barrow failing to hit the target in Saturday’s 2-0 win at Holker Street, while Oldham only managed a tame effort on target in the second-half a week earlier at Stadium MK.
“They all deserve the praise,” said Warne of his defence. “Craig has the gloves, he comes for crosses, which I love. He has been outstanding but he has been marshalled a back line which goes throughout the team.
“We want to defend as high a line as we can, press from the top so we don’t have to defend a lot. I’m not sure Craig even had to make a save today but that’s a collective effort.
“Everyone should be really proud of the clean sheets, and it’s a good building block for success. If you don’t concede, you get at least a point and away from home, limiting chances is essential to success.”
While the defence held up their end of the bargain, scoring goals has been something of a struggle for Warne’s men, having only netted once in the previous five. However, two goals in eight second-half minutes in Cumbria saw them to victory.
The style though still needs tinkering, Warne admitted, with the midfielders, including goal-scoring skipper Alex Gilbey, needing instructions at half-time to stick to their task rather than help out their team-mates out wide.
The head coach continued: “We had our midfielders helping out our wingers, and we encouraged them at half-time to leave them, to stay out and get in the box, so when Gilbs scored that’s congratulations to our coaching staff! Gilbs will get goals if he gets in the box.
“I want to see people in the box, not just one person.”