By Steve Manning
Venue: Stadiummk (capacity: 30,500 for football)
Competition: EFL Carabao Cup – Round: Third.
Head to head record:
Dons wins: 5 Shrimps wins: 1 Drawn: 1 Dons goals: 16 Shrimps goals: 5.
Previous Carabao Cup results:
MK Dons progressed to the 3rd round after stunning Championship outfit Watford 2-0 away at Vicarage Road on Tuesday 23 rd August.
Morecambe booked their visit to Stadiummk with an excellent 1-0 away win at Championship side Rotherham United also on the 23 rd August.
Taunton Town – FA Cup review
MK Dons soundly destroyed sixth-tier Taunton by 6-0 at a wintery Stadiummk to progress through to the second round draw of the 2022/23 Emirates FA Cup.
In what was seen by some as a potential banana-skin of a tie it took Liam Manning’s League One strugglers just six minutes to open the scoring.
Goals from Dawson Devoy, Will Grigg, Darragh Burns, Mohamed Eisa and a late brace from Conor Grant saw the League One side safely into the hat for the second round draw at the expense of their non-league opponents.
The result sees the Dons extend their unbeaten run to three matches in all competitions despite a disappointing start in League One. The Peacocks were well backed by a vocal support and will now turn their attention back to their debut National League South campaign.
The Dons opened the scoring following good work down the left, Devoy’s free-kick somehow finding the bottom corner through the wall in the sixth minute. Grigg turned home a low Daniel Harvie cross seven minutes later, and it was 3-0 when Burns guided home a lofted Devoy pass three minutes into the second half.
Lively substitute Eisa then added a fourth with 16 minutes remaining with a fantastic bending strike from 30 yards. Grant, another Dons substitute, completed the rout with composed finishes in the 82nd and 84th
minutes.
How Dons could line-up?
The Dons routed Morecambe at the Mazuma Stadium earlier in the season, with a standard 3-4-3 formation. Expect the same this time around.
Possible Dons starting XI:
1. Jamie Cumming;
5. Warren O’Hora, 3. Dean Lewington (c), 33. Zak Jules;
22. Henry Lawrence, 14. Brad Johnson, 28. Dawson Devoy, 21. Daniel Harvie;
19. Louie Barry, 9. Will Grigg, 20 Darragh Burns.
How Morecambe could line-up?
Derek Adams utilised a 3-4-2-1 against Sheffield Wednesday during their 2-0 FA Cup defeat on Friday evening.
Possible Morecambe Starting XI:
1. Connor Ripley;
22. Anthony O’Connor, 5. Farrend Rawson, 6. Ryan Delaney;
16. Jacob Bedeau, 20. Liam Shaw, 15. Jensen Weir, 4. Liam Gibson;
21. Ryan Cooney;
9. Cole Stockton, 11. Dylan Connolly
One’s to watch
Darragh Burns – Dons: Burns has found himself in and out of the first XI lately, but showed that his hunger for goals is still prevalent with a strike in the win over Taunton. Burns has taken to this competition, could play an important role in navigating a route past Morecambe into round 4.
Liam Shaw – Morecambe: Shaw finds himself at the Mazuma Stadium from Celtic, A defensive midfielder who is very adept to reading the game, and also giving 110% every time he steps out onto the pitch. Shaw can pull the strings from his deep position while protecting the back 3. One to watch.
Score Prediction
The Dons 2 Morecambe 1
The Dons should take confidence from their haul of half a dozen goals over Taunton, and make Morecambe their next notch on the W column.
Goal Scorers? Will Grigg and Dawson Devoy.
Match Odds supplied by Oddschecker:
Dons win: 7/10 Draw: 27/10 Morecambe win: 4/1
Dons to win 2-1: 13/2.
Membership subscription to the MKDSA is still available to buy for the 2022/23 season, via our website – or in person at the MKDSA Shop.
Information on the benefits of joining can be found at www.mkdsa.org.uk/membership
If you are going to the game, safe travels to you all.
Until Next Time, SM.
