By Steve Manning
MK Dons v Newport County
EFL Trophy Preview
Venue: Stadiummk (capacity: 30,500 for football)
Competition: Papa John’s Trophy – Round of Thirty Two
How the group stage finished:
1. MK Dons Pld 3 W 2 D 0 L gf 5 ga 2 gd +3 Pts: 6 – S/O W: 0
2. Cheltenham Town Pld 3 W 2 D 0 L 1 gf 5 ga 4 gd +1 Pts: 6 – S/O W: 0
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3. West Ham U21 Pld 3 W 2 D 0 L 1 gf 3 ga 3 gd (nil) Pts 6 – S/O W: 0
4. Walsall FC Pld 3 W 0 D 0 L 3 gf 1 ga 5 gd -4 Pts 0 – S/O W: 0
1. Forest Green Pld 3 W 3 D 0 L0 gf 9 ga 3 gd +6 Pts: 9 – S/O W: 0
2. Newport Co. Pld 3 W 2 D 0 L 1 gf 5 ga 4 gd +1 Pts: 6 – S/O W: 0
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3. Exeter City Pld 3 W 1 D 0 L 2 gf 4 ga 7 gd -3 Pts: 3 – S/O W: 0
4. Southampton U21 Pld 3 W 0 D 0 L 3 gf 3 ga 6 gd -3 Pts: 0 – S/O W: 0
Previous PJT results: The Dons beat Walsall away 2-0 to top their round robin group table. Newport County beat Southampton U21’s 2-1 at Rodney Parade
Head-to-head record:
MK Dons wins: 3 Drawn: 0 Newport Co. wins: 1 Dons goals: 6 Newport goals: 5
Last meeting:
Football League Trophy 7th January 2020 – Newport County 3 MK Dons 0 (at Rodney Parade)
Barnsley review: Barnsley 3 Dons 1
Another game, another defeat for Liam Manning and his struggling MK Dons away at Oakwell on Saturday afternoon.
Mo Eisa scored his first league goal of the campaign following his return from injury, but that proved to be the highlight of a very dire outing for the Dons.
It was Barnsley who took the lead inside 19 minutes of this contest when wingback Jordan Williams volleyed his effort at the far post from a Herbie Kane cross from the left flank.
Dons should have equalised 10 minutes later when striker Eisa appeared to be through on goal, in a one-on-one with Tykes keeper Brad Collins, but defender Liam Kitching put in a great challenge to deny the Sudanese hit man.
The Dons drew level just five minutes before the tea and oranges were about to be consumed in the away dressing room, after Villa-loanee Louie Barry threaded a ball to Eisa just outside of the Barnsley area, Dons’ number 10 slotted nonchalantly past the former Chelsea stopper with relative ease.
Mo. Scores. Goals.
The second-half resumed with Barnsley on the front foot as the Reds imposed themselves in the game again, the lead restored for the hosts in the 50th minute of the game.
This previews’ one to watch Nicky Cadden picked out Adam Phillips inside the middle of Jamie Cumming’s penalty box with the Barnsley man’s header ghosting past Cumming in the Dons goal.
The result was put beyond any doubt 22 minutes from the final whistle when former Liverpool graduate Herbie Kane to make the score 3-1, cutting inside and putting the ball onto his right foot, the midfielder unleashed his shot into the bottom left corner of the net from outside of the Dons penalty area.
The result left Dons sitting 6 points adrift of 20th placed Cambridge United, and level on points with Burton Albion, Morecambe, and Forest Green Rovers.
How Dons could line-up:
3-4-1-2 could be a possibility with Manning trying out a pairing of Eisa, and Grigg for the last 10 mins against Barnsley, Barry capable of filling the attacking midfield role behind the pair.
Possible Dons Starting XI:
• 23. Franco Ravizzoli;
• 4. Jack Tucker, 5. Warren O’Hora (c), 33. Zak Jules;
• 2. Tennai Watson, 8. Ethan Robson, 6. Josh McEachran, 21. Daniel Harvie;
• 19. Louie Barry;
• 9. Will Grigg, 10. Mo Eisa.
How The Exiles could line-up:
Exiles manager Graham Coughlan likes to employ the now common 3 at the back with wingbacks dropping back to for a 5. He also likes the attacking mid sitting behind a front tandem.
Possible Exiles starting XI:
• 1. Joe Day;
• 3. Declan Drysdale, 6. Priestley Farquharson, 28. Mickey Demetriou (c);• 2. Cameron Norman, 17. Scot Bennett, 22. Nathan Moriah-Welsh, 14. Aaron Lewis; • 11. James Waite;• 9. Omar Bogle, 29. Will Evans.
One’s to watch:
Zak Jules – The Dons: Jules is well suited for this game, his improving form for Liam Manning’s side and grounding in League Two with Walsall combined could see him be a pivotal presence for The Dons on Tuesday.
Expect Zak to pull the strings from the left side of defence, and I would not be surprised if the Scot ends up on the scoresheet. Zak. Heads. Goals.
Omar Bogle – Newport: Bogle has earned himself a reputation of goal scoring in the lower reaches of the EFL.
For Newport under Coughlan he has formed a promising partnership with strike partner Will Evans and the pair have started to gel at the right time.
Bogle scores goals, cut off the supply and it could be a quiet night for Newport’s number 9.
Score Prediction:
MK Dons 3 Newport 1
This should be a routine win for Liam Manning’s Dons. 3-1 is optimistic however Barnsley should serve as a wake up call.
Expect a reaction against Newport.
Match Odds supplied by Oddschecker:
No odds available to quote for you.
Thank you for reading this preview, if you are going to the game then I wish you safe travels to, and from Stadiummk.
Until Next Time, SM.
