No risks taken with injury concerns during Dons' FA Cup third round exit

Friday night’s FA Cup exit was a ‘no risk’ game for MK Dons from a medical perspective.

Head coach Paul Warne was already nursing several players after picking up injuries lately, including a new blow for Rushian Hepburn-Murphy, but was quick to remove anyone feeling remotely off in the game against Oxford United.

Aaron Nemane came off after treatment for a tight hamstring, while the majority of the substitutions Warne made during 120 minutes he admitted were precautionary.

“Anytime a player sneezed, I took them off,” Warne said. “It was a zero risk day.

“Aaron (Nemane) said his hammies were tightening up, so we took zero risks. Dan (Crowley) said his groin was a little bit tight, so he was off. Gethin (Jones) started to tighten up right at the end, so we took him off. I took Scotty (Hogan) off because he’s not had a lot of game time, and I took Kane (Thompson-Sommers) off because he was getting tight as well.

“Unfortunately Rush will be out for a short period, not long, just a short one. He’s got something just off his hamstring.

“We didn’t risk Marvin (Ekpiteta) he felt an awareness of his injury but we hope he will be available next week.

“With Gilbs (Alex Gilbey) , it was an opportunity to let his groin rest. We took the opportunity to rest him when we can. When I got here last year, he had a groin issue and he missed a big period so we have to keep on top of it.”

Another man on crutches

It was not just the players struggling though, with members of the coaching staff also suffering injuries last week. Assistant head coach Richie Barker was on crutches in the dugout after having work carried out on a long-standing knee issue.

Far from sympathetic though, Warne, who has worked alongside Barker since 2017, could not hide his amusement at his assistant’s limitations while on the bench against Oxford.

He said: “He kept shouting from the bench, and I was wetting myself at him! But he’s on the mend.

“He has been struggling with his knee for a bit, we’re not as young as we used to be, aging is a disaster! He’s a true Yorkshireman, he would never admit he was in pain but he was just making more noises. He was putting his socks on but it was like a one-man band!

“He needed some work doing, and this week seemed the perfect opportunity to do that. He has to spend six hours a day on the bike which keeps him happy. Hopefully he will be off the crutches in a couple of weeks.”