MK Dons host Doncaster Rovers at Stadium MK this weekend in their fifth game of the 2023/24 League Two season. The two sides have had very different starts to the season with MK Dons sitting in the automatic promotion spots whereas Doncaster sit in the relegation zone with a single point to their name.
MK Dons sit second in League Two on nine points. In four games, The Dons have won three times and have lost once, this leaves them three points behind Gillingham who sit atop of League Two. Though MK Dons have scored six more goals than Gillingham, they have also conceded seven goals so far this season.
The Dons opened their season away to new boys Wrexham. A Eoghan O’Connell own goal, a goal from Mohamed Eisa, a brace from Jonathan Leko and an extra time goal from Daniel Harvie gave MK Dons the 5 - 3 opening weekend win. The next win was more lowkey, with another goal from Eisa giving The Dons the 1 - 0 win over Tranmere. However, the following trip to Crawley gave The Dons their first loss of the season. Eisa grabbed yet another goal but Nick Tsaroulla and Danilo Orsi gave Crawley the 2 - 1 win.
The most recent outing for The Dons was a win over bottom of the league Colchester. Eisa scored yet again along with Alex Gilbey and Matthew Dennis to give MK Dons the 3 - 2 win.
Doncaster, on the other hand, sit 23rd in League Two on just one point. In four games, Rovers have drawn once and have lost three times. Doncaster are just one point above being rock bottom of League Two, though those below them, Colchester, do have a game in hand.
The Rovers’ first game of the season came at home against Harrogate Town. Jack Muldoon converted his penalty in the second half to give Harrogate the 1 - 0 win. Then their first away trip of the season to Newport only compounded the misery of the opening weekend loss. Seb Palmer-Houlden, Will Evans and Doncaster’s Richard Wood all scored in a 4 - 0 thrashing of Doncaster. The Rovers grabbed their first point of the season against Mansfield. Thomas Nixon and Joe Ironside scored for Doncaster but a late George Maris goal levelled the game at 2 - 2.
The latest game for Doncaster was a visit from Notts County. Macaulay Langstaff scored twice along with Jodi Jones to give Notts County the 3 - 0 lead. Deji Sotona did score for Doncaster but it was only a consolation in a 3 - 1 loss.
MK Dons and Doncaster isn’t a common fixture, only happening 16 times so far in their histories. The first meeting came back in 2004 and the most recent meeting came in 2022. Doncaster have the advantage in the fixture with eight wins in comparison to MK Dons’ three wins. There have also been five draws in the fixture.
The last two wins have gone in Doncaster’s favour with a 2 - 1 and 1 - 0 win in 2021 and 2022.