When the League Two fixtures were released at the start of the 2018/19 campaign, nobody could have predicted that the final match between MK Dons and Mansfield Town would mean so much. The Dons were favourites to storm the league while Mansfield were destined for mid-table obscurity. Instead, they meet in a winner takes all showdown where the victors will take the final automatic promotion spot, and the losers will have to settle for the dreaded play-offs.
Winner Takes All in MK Dons and Mansfield Town Clash
How They Got Here
So, it all comes down to this. Mansfield take a slight advantage into the game knowing that they can take just a point and secure the spot due to their superior goal difference. MK Dons know that only a win will do, but they have the edge of being at home.
Paul Tisdale’s side might not be in this position had their luck with injuries not been so dire. They were riding high alongside Lincoln City in the league until their form took a tumble around the Christmas period. At one point they even dropped out of the play-off spots, but a superb run around February and March at least put them back in the promotion mix.
Mansfield have been one of the league’s surprise packages this year, but they’re good value for their place in the table. They have been one of the most consistent sides in the division this season, with their only notable dip being around now. They also have the joint-best defence in the league, alongside champions Lincoln, conceding only 40 times.
Head to Head
MK Dons haven’t lost to Mansfield since their first meeting back in 2006; a 2-1 loss at Field Mill. Even their last meeting was a close encounter, indicative of the fact that bost sides had the joint-best defence at the time, conceding just 11 league goals by the late-October meeting.
Between those two games only a further three matches between the two have ensued. The reverse fixture to their loss ended in a 1-1 draw in February 2007, and two wins for the Dons occurred in 2007/08; 2-1 away from home and 1-0 at Stadium MK.
Winner Takes All
History hardly separates these two teams, and this season’s results go no closer to doing that either. It’s a near-impossible call, especially with so much riding on the game.
MK Dons, though, will know that with their play-off record, they cannot risk not going up directly. Whether that will be enough to push them over the line will have to wait to be seen, but their fans will hope it does the trick.
Prediction: MK Dons 2-1 Mansfield Town
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