MK Dons host Scunthorpe United on Saturday knowing a victory coupled with a loss of points for Swindon Town will take their play-off hopes to the last day of the season.
, the Dons must pick up three points from relegation-threatened Iron and hope that Swindon slip up at home to Stevenage.mkstadiumIn the penultimate game of the 2012/13 campaign, and the final match at
Should Swindon claim maximum points at the Country Ground the Dons’ chances of reaching the top six will end, regardless of the result at stadiummk.
In the Dons’ way of three points is an Iron side sitting five points from safety with six points still up for grabs. Brian Laws side will be chasing victory while hoping that the team directly above them, Colchester United, slip up.
When the two teams met at Glanford Park earlier in the season the Dons came out on top with a convincing 3-0 win thanks an excellent brace from Luke Chadwick and a goal from Alan Smith.
Since that day, Iron replaced their manager Alan Knill for Laws but Scunthorpe’s woes have continued and they are currently on a run of four games without a win which has left their League 1 status hanging by a thread.
The Dons are sweating on the fitness of Dean Lewington, who suffered a knee injury in the win over Colchester, and Adam Chicksen, who missed out in midweek with an ankle injury. Should both fail to make the game the Dons will have to call on someone from their threadbare squad to deputise at left-back.
Meanwhile, Ian McLoughlin looks to end the home campaign in goal as David Martin remains sidelined with a back complaint that has kept him out of action for almost two months.
Scunthorpe will be without Akpo Sodje and Niall Canavan as they look to extend their survival hopes for another week.
Striker Sodje sustained a thigh injury in the midweek defeat at Bury, while centre-half Canavan broke his nose in two places early in the first half and has since had surgery that has cut short his season.
Sodje has started on the substitutes’ bench in the last two matches, so Matt Godden is expected to continue alongside Karl Hawley up front, while Mike Grella and James Alabi also come into contention.
David Mirfin replaced Canavan in midweek and is expected to resume his partnership with skipper Paul Reid.
Winger Andy Barcham remains doubtful due to the thigh strain that has kept him out of the last two matches. Goalkeeper Sam Slocombe, fit again after a thigh injury, is hoping to feature.
