Welshman Collins has led the way for MK Dons this season

Sam Nombe is not begrudging of Aaron Collins’ goal-scoring prowess this season, but would love to replicate it himself.

The MK Dons number 9 finally opened his league account on Saturday with the winner against Stevenage, but he has had to play the watching role while team-mate Collins has raced onto 10 goals already this season.

Though he has had to be patient and wait for his first goal since his summer move from Rotherham, Nombe said Collins’ scoring has been vital for the team this season, and spurred him on to get back into scoring form himself.

“As a number 9, I want to score and believe I can,” said the 27-year-old. “I’m so pleased for Aaron, he’s scoring plenty of goals and I’m delighted to see it but I want to be a part of it as well. If I keep performing and believing, it will happen.

“The gaffer sat down with me a few days ago to tell he was happy with what I was doing, I was helping, I was doing everything they wanted me to. I just had to get into the right places. I just need to be a bit more agile in the box. I just kept believing, waiting for the crosses and I got on the end of one.”

Almost 2,500 days separated Nombe from his most recent Dons league goal and the one before it - coming in New Year’s Day in 2020 against Bristol Rovers - but a five-year spell away from the club saw the 27-year-old grow as a player.

He continued: “I had to go out and find myself, find that goal-scoring form. My last goal for the club came in 2020, so going away, developing my skills, going from a young boy trying to impress has made me the man I am today. I’m grateful for all the chances I got elsewhere.”