Payne stakes a claim to be starting more games for Dons

Jack Payne hopes his recent performances have been enough to convince Graham Alexander he deserves a league start for MK Dons.

The on-loan Charlton Athletic midfielder capped his first start for the club with a goal on Tuesday night, winning and firing home the penalty kick against Oxford United in the EFL Trophy to all-but secure Dons’ spot in the next round of the competition, courtesy of a 1-0 win at the Kassam Stadium.

Having come off the bench in three previous games since his move from The Valley, Payne has been a lively inclusion, and his showing on Tuesday was one of many positives to come from the evening.

With competition fierce for places in the starting line-up, Payne feels he is doing all he can at the moment to convince the head coach he should be starting League Two games.

“You can only do your talking on the pitch,” he said. “Hopefully he is impressed by what he has seen of me so far. I have to keep showing what I can do with any opportunity I can get.

“I feel confident and positive about my future here. The lads have been great, have helped me settle in, everyone’s really welcoming. I’ve enjoyed it so far.

“The results in the league haven’t gone how we’d have liked recently but there are a lot of good signs.

“Obviously I know we’ve got a lot of good players, but I have to back myself to get into the side and stay there.”

On his first start, Payne added: “It was good to get 90 minutes. I got on the ball quite a bit, and I felt good, I felt sharp. Training has been tough since I got here but I feel fitter for it, and it was a good night’s work.”