MK Dons Match Stats Preview

History of the Milton Keynes Dons v Carlisle United fixture

The Blues travel to Buckinghamshire tomorrow to face an MK Dons side they have only played four times away from home in their present form, but they have contested another four matches on the road against the "club" under their old guise as Wimbledon FC over the years. That quartet of games, which featured two draws and two defeats for United, coming in a seven year period in the late 1970s/early 1980s.

Last season in League One, after the initial fixture had been frozen off in mid-January at the last minute, United won 2-1 at stadium:mk in late March this year. All the action coming in the last ten minutes as Shaun Williams gave the Dons the lead from the penalty spot in the 80th minute, as 8,608 spectators looked on, before Jordan Cook notched an 83rd minute equaliser for Carlisle. The Blues then going on to grab all three points when Cook slammed home a stoppage time spot-kick.

On the other side of the coin, in the 2010-11 season in League One, in early April 2011, Carlisle lost out in injury time as they went down to a 3-2 defeat at stadium:mk. Daniel Powell first putting the Dons 1-0 up after 13 minutes before Liam Noble equalised for the Blues on 28 minutes, with James Berrett, in front of 10,795 fans putting United 2-1 up from the penalty spot with 69 minutes on the clock. The home side scoring twice in the final ten minutes to take all three points though when Angelo Balanta levelled on 81 minutes before former Carlisle-loanee Adam Clayton scored the winner as far as four minutes into stoppage time.

In the 2009-10 campaign in League One though, in November 2009, the Cumbrians picked up all three points at stadium:mk against the Dons in another entertaining fixture. Carlisle racing out of the traps and into an early 3-0 lead through Kevan Hurst on five minutes and then a Vincent Pericard brace on 17 and 20 minutes.

The home side made a stirring fightback though and were remarkably level two minutes after half-time, Luke Chadwick netting twice on 35 and 37 minutes before Sam Baldock made it 3-3 after 47 minutes. It proved to be a fruitless rally from the Dons however as, with 9,459 spectators looking on, Joe Anyinsah netted for the Blues with 67 minutes gone to get a goal which would eventually see United win the game 4-3. 

The one other time Carlisle have faced the Dons away came in the 2008-09 season in League One live on SKY Sports, the Blues being defeated 3-1 in early October despite taking the lead through Danny Graham after just four minutes. The home side though fighting back to win in front of 11,194 spectators thanks to a brace of goals from Peter Leven and a header from Miguel Angel Llera.

Recent encounters between the teams

For a detailed analysis of the complete head-to-head record between the two sides, click here

Recent respective form guides

MK Dons have shown reasonable home form at the end of last season and start of this, having won four and lost two from their last six matches played at home. A total of eight goals have been scored by the Dons in those games, with four conceded. Carlisle meanwhile have a slightly less than average recent record on the road, seeing them win just one, draw two and lose three of the last six away matches. The Cumbrians have scored six goals in these games, but conceded eight.

MK Dons have picked up four points from their three games contested to date and that return sees them lie inside the top half of the League One table, in tenth position. Carlisle meawhile have also taken a win, a draw and a defeat in their opening three games, but goal difference sees them sitting two places further down the table in 12th position.

Current overall team form

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FootyMad's prediction ...

The FootyMad panel see this game edging towards a narrow win for the Dons, as the Cumbrians have been none too clever on the road in recent matches...... Home win

Sequence statistics

For a detailed analysis of current team sequences throughout the leagues, click here