{"id":417483,"date":"2019-04-21T08:56:53","date_gmt":"2019-04-21T12:56:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonfootball.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=417483"},"modified":"2020-12-28T11:34:04","modified_gmt":"2020-12-28T16:34:04","slug":"mk-dons-host-port-vale-in-penultimate-home-game-in-league-two","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2019\/04\/21\/mk-dons-host-port-vale-in-penultimate-home-game-in-league-two\/","title":{"rendered":"MK Dons Host Port Vale in Penultimate Home Game in League Two"},"content":{"rendered":"

MK Dons<\/a> got their League Two automatic promotion push<\/a> back on track on Good Friday with a 2-1 win<\/a> over Notts County<\/a>. The success pushed them back up to third in the table<\/a>, just one point behind second-placed Mansfield Town<\/a>. Paul Tisdale’s side now host lowly Port Vale<\/a> in their second game of the Easter Weekend, and picking up maximum points once again will certainly put them in good stead going into a tough final two games<\/a>.<\/p>\n

MK Dons Host Port Vale as League Two Season Nears Its Conclusion<\/h1>\n

Kicking On<\/h2>\n

MK Dons recorded a 2-0 win at Vale Park<\/a> earlier in the season, and that win finally put to an end a dire run of form that had seen all of their early-season efforts go to waste. The Dons drew four of their five league games in September 1-1<\/a>, with the other being a 2-1 loss at Lincoln City<\/a> that, until the 94th minute, looked to be heading for a goal apiece too<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Four successive wins<\/a> followed after the victory over Vale, and the side also ended October with a positive draw away at Mansfield<\/a> – at the time, the two teams had the joint-best defences in the league<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Port Vale, meanwhile, were left down in 16th<\/a> after October’s defeat, and things haven’t got much better for them since. In the immediate aftermath of that game, they lost away at Grimsby Town<\/a>\u00a0before being smashed 6-2 at home to Lincoln<\/a>. Three more league wins in 2018<\/a> followed, and they currently have five so far in 2019<\/a>, leaving them in 19th but ten points clear<\/a> of the drop.<\/p>\n

Head to Head<\/h2>\n

MK Dons have an extremely even record against the Valiants. Of the 12 games they have faced each other in, the Dons have won four, drawn four and lost four<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The aforementioned success earlier in the season was the first over Vale since a 1-0 win at Stadium MK in 2014<\/a>, and the Dons also came out on top at Vale Park two weeks prior to that in a 4-3 FA Cup win<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The first meeting came back in 2004 when Vale recorded a 3-2 victory<\/a>, and the two games that followed finished 1-1<\/a> and 0-0<\/a> respectively.<\/p>\n

Prediction<\/h2>\n

History would suggest another tight game will ensue on Easter Monday, and that’s probably what form for both sides would suggest too. Taking away a four-goal defeat to Stevenage<\/a> on Friday, and obviously the previously mentioned heavy defeat to Lincoln, Port Vale don’t concede many. Of all the teams in the bottom half, only Oldham Athletic<\/a> have conceded fewer times<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As well, the Dons haven’t been known for piling on the goals this season. Their heaviest win by far was the 6-0 win<\/a> over Cambridge United<\/a> in January, but rather than consistently hitting teams for high numbers, they have scored in most of their games played to quietly creep up the scoring charts.<\/p>\n

Prior to the home loss against Lincoln at the start of April, the last time they failed to find the net in a league game was against Grimsby in January<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Port Vale don’t concede many, MK Dons aren’t exactly free-scoring. However, given their places in the table and the prize at stake, it should be a comfortable afternoon.<\/p>\n

Prediction: MK Dons 2-0 Port Vale<\/strong><\/p>\n

Main Photo<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a>