Payne's pleased with MK Dons' recent points return

Jack Payne feels MK Dons have turned a significant corner after picking up 11 points from a possible 15 to climb back into the top half of League Two.

With three wins and two draws, the team’s duff run through September and early October seems a long way off now as they climbed to 11th on Tuesday night, and are just four points off a play-off spot.

Payne, who scored the equaliser in the 1-1 draw with Grimsby Town in the week, said Dons’ recent good run has put them in good stead again.

“If you look at the last five games as a block, we've won three and drawn two, so 11 points is a really good take from that,” he explained.

“We've got a rest this weekend, go again in the Trophy and then look forward to the next block of games.

“Perspective is massive in football. After going away and getting a win at Salford, we wanted to build on that and that winning feeling is addictive. But over the last five games, it has been really positive. We want to match, if not better the tally over the next five games. We're still feeling really positive and confident as a group.

“We hadn't won away for a while before Saturday, so if you're picking one of those games to win, you probably take the win at Salford. Four points from two games, you take it and keep going.”

With their next league game not until December 9, Payne continued: “Usually, when there's not a game and you're training, you can go through the motions, but it has been really good, and we've really enjoyed the training. 

“When there's not a game, you have to use it as an opportunity to improve.”