The MK Dons head coach spoke ahead of Saturday’s game with Grimsby Town

Paul Warne feels Grimsby Town are one of the best teams his side has faced this season and expects a similar encounter when they meet again on Saturday.

The Mariners raced into a 3-0 lead at Stadium MK back in September, before Jon Mellish was sent off before half-time. Dons managed to pull a couple of goals back and came close to a dramatic equaliser at the end but came out on the wrong end of a 3-2 reverse.

Heading to Blundell Park this Saturday, Dons come up against the only side in the top four divisions to still have a 100 per cent record at the start of 2026, with David Artell’s men yet to concede a goal this year.

Dons meanwhile have won three on the spin to see them climb into second spot in League Two, with the head coach not in the least surprised by their opponents’ form of late.

“Their form doesn’t surprise me,” Warne said. “At the start of the season when we played them, I think they were the best team we’d lost to. I know we had a few things working against us - Kane (Wilson) had one leg, Jon killed someone and got a red card, we were playing 4-4-2, and we still got it back to 3-2.

“One of the highlights of anyone's career would’ve been seeing Jack Sanders score that overhead kick! I remember the game for all the wrong reasons.

“Grimsby have been the most electric team we’ve played, and there aren’t many games I can stand in the dugout and think we’re second best, but that was one.”

Despite their excellent form recently, Grimsby find themselves in ninth spot but Warne is not taking their league position as a reflection of their qualities, predicting the Mariners to be at least a play-off side this season.

He continued: “They had a wobble after their cup run, which happens a lot because they take it out of your team emotionally and physically.

“I definitely think they’ll be in the top seven though. They’ve got their ball-speed back, they’ve got their belief back because winning runs do that. They’re always a really good home team so we’ll have to be at our best to get anything.

“Not spoil it, but I back our team all the time. If we’re at our best, I think we’re unbeatable. If the players give the best they can and they have lady luck, they’ll win. If not, you go onto the next game.

“These sorts of games take less motivation from us as staff because the players know what it means. I know the lads are looking forward to the game because we’re in good nick as well.”