Youngsters are earning their way into Alexander’s Dons plans

Graham Alexander has high hopes for MK Dons’ latest crop of youngsters after impressing him during pre-season training.

In what has been a physically intense and testing campaign under the new head coach, academy products Brooklyn Ilunga,Phoenix Scholtz, Charlie Waller, Joel Anker and Callum Tripp have all made a positive mark.

Ilunga, Scholtz, Anker and Tripp were all given match-time on Tuesday night against Championship opponents Coventry City not as a reward for their hard-work, but because of how impressed Alexander has been with their progress during the last few weeks too.

“We've got good young players, which we believe in a lot,” said the head coach.

“You can't take five young players from the academy and expect to go and win promotion or to compete against top-end Championship sides. But we love that they're fit, proactive and have great confidence.

“And I believe we've got some cracking young players in there who deserve that opportunity.

“They're not here out of luck, they've earned it in training.”