MK Dons concluded their pre-season schedule with a 2-0 victory over Cheltenham Town at the EV Charger Points Stadium, a result manager Paul Warne said provided welcome momentum and a confidence boost ahead of competitive action.
Goals finally arrive after goalless friendlies
After a run of blank scores against the likes of Tottenham, Arsenal, Wealdstone and Barnet in earlier warm-up matches, the Dons found the net twice in a seven-minute spell in the second half. Nathaniel Mendez-Laing opened the scoring and Aaron Collins added a second to wrap up the victory before Warne made a series of substitutions that saw the game lose some of its edge.
“I’m pleased we’ve won today and scored goals, because our play deserved it,” Warne said. “We were really good. We had some fluidity in midfield, played out well, created a lot of chances and we pressed really well.”
Warne acknowledged the performance was not flawless but felt the team showed better control than in a previous meeting with Cheltenham earlier in the year, which had been a nervy affair. He also emphasised the importance of match minutes for players returning from minor knocks and illness.
What the result means
The victory gives the squad a confidence lift ahead of next week’s Carabao Cup tie against Norwich City. Warne highlighted the value of getting attacking players back among the goals as part of final preparations for competitive fixtures.
- Final pre-season score: MK Dons 2–0 Cheltenham Town
- Second-half scorers: Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Aaron Collins
- Venue: EV Charger Points Stadium
| Scorer | Team | When |
|---|---|---|
| Nathaniel Mendez-Laing | MK Dons | Second half |
| Aaron Collins | MK Dons | Shortly after Mendez-Laing |
Warne said both goals were particularly important for players who had missed time recently. He described Mendez-Laing and Collins as not yet fully sharp but gaining match fitness, and pointed to a number of chances the side created as evidence of encouraging progress in pre-season. On the balance of play, he felt his team had the right blend of pressing and structure to limit Cheltenham's ability to build through midfield.
With competitive fixtures imminent, the Dons will take comfort from a clean sheet in their final tune-up and from forwards beginning to convert opportunities. Supporters will now turn their attention to the cup meeting with Norwich as the early season test of how the pre-season work has translated into form under Warne.
