The Shirmps are back on the road this weekend as they travel to Stadium MK on Saturday 25 March to take on Milton Keynes Dons in Sky Bet League One.
Last time out, Morecambe earned themselves a point in a 1-1 draw against Oxford United at the Mazuma Stadium. Marcus Browne opened the scoring for the visitors before Ash Hunter’s late strike levelled the scoring three minutes from time.
In MK’s last game, they beat Accrington Stanley 1-0 away from home.
The Opposition
MK Dons sit 20th in League One with ten wins, six draws and 21 defeats from 37 league games.
Despite their short history, MK have achieved a lot in the EFL. In 2008, the Buckinghamshire side won the Papa Johns Trophy when they beat Grimsby Town 2-0 in the final at Wembley. MK won League Two in the same season and were League One runners-up in 2015.
Head Coach Mark Jackson played as a defender for Leeds United, Kidderminster Harriers and Rochdale during his playing career. The 45-year-old began his coaching career in 2015 within the Leeds academy. MK Dons is Jackson’s first full-time role in the EFL.
Key Players
Forward Mo Eisa is MK’s top scorer with eight goals so far this season; he has also contributed with three assists to-date. Eisa brings plenty of EFL experience to Stadium MK with 23 goals in 45 appearances for Cheltenham Town in 2017/18 and 16 goals in 56 appearances for Peterborough United between 2019 and 2021. Since joining MK in 2021, the 28-year-old has 18 goals in 58 games.
Striker Will Grigg is in his third spell at Stadium MK. The Northern Irish international scored 20 goals in 44 appearances during his first spell in 2014-15, eight goals in 20 appearances in 2021 and, since joining permenantly in 2022, he’s scored five goals in 13 games. The 31-year-old also represented Northern Ireland 13 times between 2012 and 2018.
Midfielder Dawson Devoy has been a creative spark in the middle of the park for MK this season with one goal and seven assists so far. The 21-year-old spent the start of his career in Ireland with Bohemians before joining MK in 2022. The Irishman has also represented his country seven times at U21 level.
Mark Jackson’s Thoughts
MK head coach March Jackson told the MK Dons YouTube channel his side will need to be ready for Shrimps threat on Saturday.
“We’ve got to go out with a mindset to win the game,” he said.
“They’ll be exactly the same so its about who can deal with the situation and the magnitude of the game because it is a big game.”
He added: “We have to be mindful and respectful of the threat Morecambe will pose and we need to be ready for that and nullify that.”
Team News
Max Melbourne and Jake Taylor remain unavailable due to injury. Aside from that, Derek Adams has a fit squad to choose from.
Meet The Officials
Thomas Parsons will be the man in the middle on Saturday and will be assisted by Abbas Khan, Declan O’Shea and fourth official Aji Ajibola.
Parsons has refereed 21 games this season; 11 in League Two, five in League One, three in the Papa Johns Trophy and one in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup respectively.
The official is in his first season in the EFL and is yet to referee a Shrimps game.
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