Doncaster Rovers and MK Dons will both be looking to make a winning start to 2024 when they lock horns at the Eco-Power Stadium on Monday.
The sides have fared vastly different of late, with the hosts winless in five consecutive matches, while their visitors have won each of their last four outings.
Match preview
© Reuters
Doncaster Rovers snapped a run of three defeats in the bounce with a 1-1 stalemate against Mansfield Town in Friday's meeting at One Call Stadium.
Grant McCann's men fell behind midway through the first half to Callum Johnson's opener before restoring parity through Joe Ironside just shy of the hour mark.
As a result, the Rovers have dropped down to 20th place in the League Two table but still remain a whopping six points clear of relegation danger.
Coming up next is the challenge of an opposing outfit with little to pick between the teams over the last five meetings, which have yielded two wins apiece and a draw.
Having let in eight goals across their last two home matches, Monday's hosts will be wary of another defensive collapse in front of their fans.
MK Dons continued their recent upturn in form as they claimed a routine 2-0 victory over Crawley Town at Stadium Milton Keynes on Friday evening.
Mike Williamson's men got their noses in front early on through Joe Tomlinson after which Alex Gilbey sealed the deal eight minutes from time.
With 39 points picked up from their 23 league games so far, the Dons occupy sixth place in the standings midway through the 2023-24 campaign.
Currently on a run of back-to-back away victories leading up this weekend's encounter, Monday's visitors will back themselves to get the job done on enemy territory once again.
Team News
Thirty-year-old Joe Ironside has found the back of the net in four of his last five home outings for Doncaster Rovers, making him one to keep an eye on.
Tom Anderson was absent from the hosts' last match due to a knock, and it remains to be seen if the defender will be fit enough to play a part here.
Following his opener against Crawley, Joe Tomlinson now boasts six goal contributions in his last six matches for MK Dons heading into Monday's contest.
Dawson Devoy returned to the visitors' starting lineup last time out but failed to impress and could consequently drop to the bench for this one.
Doncaster Rovers possible starting lineup:
Lawlor; Senior, Bailey, Olowu, Sterry; Rowe, Close, Biggins; Ironside, Faal, Molyneux
MK Dons possible starting lineup:
MacGillivray; Williams, O'Hora, Lewington; Gilbey, Payne, Robson, Tomlinson; Leko, Dean, Grant
We say: Doncaster Rovers 1-2 MK Dons
Doncaster have struggled at both ends of the pitch of late and face an uphill task of coming away with all three points here. We are backing MK Dons to emerge victorious come the end of the 90 minutes.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Adepoju Marvellous
