Milton Keynes Dons v Tranmere Rovers Match Preview

There can be no denying the importance of this Saturday’s match as Rovers travel to Milton Keynes to face Milton Keynes Dons at the National Hockey Stadium this Saturday.  A win for either team will be a giant leap towards remaining in League One and will spell disaster for the loser.

For Rovers, a draw at worst may be enough to stay up depending on the results involving the other teams around the relegation and in particular Hartlepool and Rotherham.  The teams below Rovers in the table, aside from Rovers opponents on Saturday MK Dons, all have tough away games with Swindon travelling to nearby Bristol City knowing that a failure to win for them and just a point for MK Dons against Tranmere, will see them relegated to League Two by Saturday evening.

Hartlepool and Rotherham both travel to automatic promotion hopefuls in Brentford and Colchester respectively.  If Rovers win they will be virtually safe from the drop but even if they only get a draw, their safety could still be ensured if Hartlepool and Rotherham fail to win because Rotherham face Milton Keynes on the final day of the season next week meaning that only one of them would be able to pass Rovers total of 52 Points.

Earlier in the season, Rovers took a 1-0 lead at Prenton Park through captain Mike Jackson but two goals in a minute from Izale McLeod around the hour mark (the second one a gift from a Steven Jennings mistake), saw the Dons take the three points.

Rovers may yet be left to rue the chance to send the Dons down to League Two last season on the final day when the Dons triumphed 2-1 at the Hockey Stadium to stay up after Torquay lost.

In the other meeting between the two teams last season (the first game since MK Dons changed their location and their name from Wimbledon), saw Rovers triumph 2-0 at Prenton Park thanks to goals from Paul Hall and Theo Whitmore.

Rovers can expect a reasonable sized following in Milton Keynes on Saturday so all that remains is for the players to do the business on the pitch.

MK Dons:

Last Six At Home - WLWLLW

Last Six Games – LLWWWW

Season Stats (Home):

P22      W8       D8        L6         F27       A23

Season Stats (All Matches):

P44      W12     D13      L19       F44       A64

Tranmere Rovers:

Last Six Away- DLWDLL

Last Six Games – DWLLLL

Season Stats (Away):

P22      W5       D7        L10       F16       A21

Season Stats (All Matches):

P44      W12     D15      L17       F48       A49

MK Dons:  Izale McLeod – 17 Goals

Tranmere Rovers:  Chris Greenacre – 18 Goals

 12^th November 2005 – Coca-Cola League One – Prenton Park

Tranmere Rovers 1 – 2 Milton Keynes Dons

Jackson 38                              McLeod (pen) 57   

                                                McLeod 58

Attendance: 6,611

Referee: Brian Curson (Leicestershire)

27^th November 2004 – Coca-Cola League One – Prenton Park

Tranmere Rovers  2 – 0  MK Dons 

Hall 53

Whitmore 84                                                                  

Attendance: 8,402

Referee: Mr Andy Woolmer (Northamptonshire)

7^th May 2005 – Coca-Cola League One – National Hockey Stadium

MK Dons  2 – 1  Tranmere Rovers 

Edds 6                        Beresford 65       

Edds 84                                         

Attendance: 7,359

Referee: Mr Paul Taylor (Hertfordshire)

Tranmere Rovers All-Time League Record Vs MK Dons:                                                        

All Matches:

P3        W1       D0        L2         F4        A4

At Layer Road:

P1        W0       D0        L1         F1        A2

For Total Tranmere’s information article on Match Tickets and also for Travel and Stadium Information for National Hockey Stadium Click Here!