Recently-relegated MK Dons will be hoping to get their promotion charge back on track this weekend when they welcome Barrow to Stadium MK on Saturday afternoon in League Two.
The Dons have slipped down the fourth-tier standings following a promising opening to the campaign, while Barrow are also enduring a slight dip in form as they chase down the top six.
Match preview
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MK Dons extended their winless run in League Two to seven matches last Saturday, when a trip to Priestfield Stadium in Kent ended with a 2-1 defeat against Gillingham, who took advantage of some sloppy defending from the visitors to maintain their spot in the automatic promotion places.
The Dons started brightly but found themselves two goals behind after 55 minutes due to strikes from Macauley Bonne and Scott Malone, and despite a second-half finish from substitute Ellis Harrison, the newly-relegated side were unable to collect any points on their travels.
Being asked to secure a return to League One at the first attempt while also implementing an attractive style of football, Graham Alexander has a difficult campaign ahead of him as he attempts to please the hierarchy and supporters at Stadium MK, but the 52-year-old possesses a track record of success in the Football League, earning promotions with Fleetwood Town and Salford City in the past.
Alexander collected the division's Manager of the Month award for August after his side won four of their opening five matches in League Two, but a dramatic drop in form has seen Saturday's hosts fall to 16th in the fourth-tier standings, seven points behind third-placed Gillingham.
The club's success in retaining the services of Mohamed Eisa could be key in a potential promotion push, with the forward netting five goals in 11 appearances so far this term following an 11-goal campaign in League One during 2022-23 - the 29-year-old has scored 31 goals for the Dons since making the switch from Peterborough United in the summer of 2021.
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Following a commendable ninth-placed finish in League Two last season, Barrow are on a mission to battle for an unlikely promotion to the third tier of English football in 2023-24, however Saturday's visitors have been struggling of late, winning just one of their last five league matches.
Wednesday night saw the Bluebirds make the short trip to local rivals Morecambe for an EFL Trophy clash, and a much-changed Barrow side full of returning first-team players and youngsters were sentenced to a 3-1 defeat in a game that manager Pete Wild described as a 'waste of time', despite Ben Whitfield finding the net for the first time since suffering a serious Achilles injury.
Barrow's last match in League Two proved that they could do battle with the division's high-flyers, with a second-half Dean Campbell penalty cancelling out a strike from 12 yards by David McGoldrick to force league leaders Notts County to share the spoils at SO Legal Stadium.
The Bluebirds currently sit 12th in the League Two table after collecting a respectable 16 points from their first 11 contests, meaning they lie just four points behind seventh-placed Wrexham who have played a game more than Wild's men so far during their first season back in the Football League.
Former Southend United striker Emile Acquah is back in the fourth tier following a 13-goal term at National League outfit Maidenhead United in 2022-23, with the 23-year-old making the net ripple on four occasions so far in 11 League Two appearances, having only managed to bag two goals in 31 games at this level during the 2020-21 season.
Team News
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MK Dons announced that Irish goalkeeper Michael Kelly has signed a contract extension until January as the club continue to deal with the long-term absence of Nathan Harness, although Craig MacGillivray should retain his spot in between the sticks this weekend.
The Dons are expected to be able to call on the services of Matthew Dennis on Saturday despite the 21-year-old limping off during the defeat at Gillingham, with the striker completing a full week of training ahead of this clash.
Club captain Dean Lewington remains a couple of weeks away as he continues his recovery from a hamstring issue, and the hosts will also be without fellow defender Daniel Harvie, who received his marching orders late on at Priestfield last time out.
Barrow have confirmed that wing-back Tyrell Warren will be sidelined for a period of time after sustaining an injury in the opening stages of the draw against Notts County, meaning Luca Stephenson could start on the right flank for the visitors.
The Bluebirds are still waiting on the return of forward Jamie Proctor, with the 31-year-old having not featured for the club since the narrow 1-0 defeat at Mansfield Town on September 23.
David Worrall and Tom White remain in the Barrow medical room ahead of Saturday's trip to Stadium MK, with the latter yet to score for the club since making the permanent switch from Blackburn Rovers in the summer of 2021.
MK Dons possible starting lineup:
MacGillivray; O'Hora, Stewart, Tucker; Norman, Williams, Gilbey, Tomlinson, Leko; Harrison, Eisa
Barrow possible starting lineup:
Farman; Feely, Chester, Canavan; Stephenson, Foley, Campbell, Gotts, Newby; Garner, Acquah
We say: MK Dons 1-1 Barrow
MK Dons have the attacking quality to rise to the summit of the League Two table, but recent results suggest that Alexander is yet to find the winning formula at Stadium MK.
Barrow will have taken a lot of confidence from the draw with league leaders Notts County last weekend, and we are expecting the Bluebirds to earn another point on their travels this time around.
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Top tip
Carter White
