By Steve Manning
This article is sponsored by Fleetmaster Group. Fleetmaster are a multi award winning provider of Fleet Driver Training. The MKDSA thank Fleetmaster for their patronage.
MK Dons v Lincoln City – The Big Match Preview
StadiumMK, Saturday 14 th January 2023. Kick-off: 3pm.
Competition: EFL League One – Matchday: 25 of 46.
How it stands: MK Dons – Position: 23 of 24
Pld 24 W 6 D 3 L 15 gf ga gd -13 Pts: 21
Top league scorer: Will Grigg & Bradley Johnson – 5 goals.
Top assist provider: Dawson Devoy – 3 assists.
Last result: Jacko’s Dons fell to a 3-1 defeat away at leaders Plymouth Argyle, on New Years Day.
Lincoln City – Position: 16 of 24
Pld 24 W 6 D 11 L 7 gf ga gd -6 Pts: 29
Top league scorer: Jack Diamond & Ben House – 6 goals.
Top assist provider: Max Sanders – 2 assists.
Last result: Mark Kennedy’s Imps fell to a 2-1 defeat away to Charlton Athletic on the 7th January.
Head to head:
Dons wins: 7 Drawn: 3 Imps wins: 4 Dons goals: 24 Imps goals: 22
Previous meeting:
EFL League 1: 05/02/2022 – MK Dons 2 Lincoln City 1 (Stadiummk)
Plymouth in review:
The Dons fell to defeat at Home Park on New Years Day, despite putting on a resilient performance against the league one leaders.
Plymouth opened the scoring when James Wilson volleyed his effort past Jamie Cumming, from on-loan Swansea City attacker Morgan Whittaker’s free-kick after just 4 minutes.
The Pilgrims missed a trio of opportunities to increase their lead further before Mark Jackson’s Dons side equalised through Nathan Holland, the ball fell kindly to the former West Ham winger, after Dan Scarr blocked Henry Lawrence’s effort, 19 minutes into this encounter.
The Dons’ were undone again in the 37th minute by Plymouth’s best passing move of the game, ended with a sublime piece of finishing as striker Niall Ennis, fired past Jamie Cumming.
Morgan Whittaker, assist provider for both of Argyle’s previous goals – then put the greens 3-1 up in the 53rd minute with a superb strike. Striker Ryan Hardie who came on as a half-time substitute for Ennis – set up the Swansea man Whittaker, who saw his pinpoint shot ping into the net off the inside of the Dons post.
The Dons still countered, refusing to lay down and accept their fate, with veteran Bradley Johnson unleashing a cannonball of an effort from outside the box which whizzed just wide of the Dons goalmouth.
How Dons could line up:
The two week break saw a chance for Mark Jackson to put his ideas to the squad, with a rumoured interest in moving to a 4-3-3 common knowledge. This could be the game to see that change.
Possible Dons starting XI:
Jamie Cumming;
Tennai Watson, Jack Tucker, Warren O’Hora, Dan Harvie;
Matt Smith, Bradley Johnson, Josh McEachran;
Will Grigg, Mo Eisa, Matt Dennis
How Lincoln could line up:
Mark Kennedy employed a 3-4-3/5-2-3 formation against Charlton. Could see a variation of this against the Dons.
Possible Lincoln starting XI:
Rushworth;
Eyoma, O’Connor, Walsh;
Poole, Sanders, Sørensen, Boyes;
Mandriou, Hopper, Diamond.
Ones to watch:
Jamie Cumming – Dons: Chelsea loanee Cumming is the most consistent player at the club, it is no surprise to see him named as my one to watch against Lincoln.
Jack Diamond – Lincoln City: Attacker Diamond is currently the Imps joint top scorer with 6 goals. The forward is a dangerous proposition and can wreak havoc if he is not dealt with by the Dons backline.
Score prediction:
MK Dons 1 Lincoln City 0
A very tight game is predicted here, 1-0 to the Dons is my prediction here.
Thank you for taking the time to read this big match preview for Lincoln at home on Saturday. Enjoy the game, and COYD!
Until Next Time, SM.
