Game Day Notebook: MK Dons @ Hitchin Town

Football in July is a mirage. Beautiful to look at but impossible to take anything from.

Ah. The Preseason Seduction. I’d struggle to be seduced by the tactical analysis or the mysterious trialists or the new kit run-out or the over-reaction.

BUT. Give me players I’ve heard of running round for 45 minutes while we take a gentle stroll around all four corners of an unsegregated pitch with a plastic glass of european lager in hand though and the vibes are good.

Hitchin has a lido. A sun-drenched relic that echoes of seaside holidays, childhood cannonballs and lifeguard whistles. It must have been some Saturday for the families of North Hertfordshire beside the pool, proper judges in this town.

As far as pre-season run outs get, this was as equally a relaxing day in the sun for Paul Warne’s men as it was for the Hitchin natives. For those tactically interested, a 4-1-2-3 with Luke Offord operating in front of Nathan Thompson and Sam Sherring. Alex Gilbey and Lemonheigh-Evans did all the chasing down but it was that new front three that most would have been interested in.

It was every bit as dynamic and frantic as you would have thought. Collins, Mendez-Laing and Hepburn-Murphy changing, chopping, surprising and scaring. No point bothering trying to guess where each is more comfortable, every time you looked up from a timely taste of the 3.8% Gluten Free HopFest (every bit as rank as you’re thinking) they would have swapped again. Collins drops the deepest but he’ll still be the one who finds himself in the right spot more often than not, he opened with a 12-minute hat-trick and could have had more.

An interesting dynamic already, NML and Collins laughing and joking and generally taking the proverbial for the 60 minutes they were on the field, Hepburn-Murphy very much the junior partner and cut a frustrating figure for most of the hour, deperate to join in the fun but guilty of taking one too many touches on more than one occasion.

It’s a small side I’ll say that. Nathan Thompson scored from a Lemonheigh-Evans corner which owed more to movement than set piece prowess. Offord was the target for most of the set pieces, Collins gave the ‘Offy Wants’ call prior to most deliveries which showed just how much he was enjoying himself. Mendez Laing rose higher than most when he wasn’t taking the corners.

Things looked a bit taller when Jack Sanders came on as part of eleven changes with a clear aim of reducing the amount of double-barreled surnames on show, it’s an MK Dons side that scored the fewest set piece goals across the division last season and that might not be about to change. Sam Sherring shows 6ft2” in the book but isn’t a rough and tumble, get his head on the ball at all costs type centre half.

Dons fans will want a better season from Joe Tomlinson and he looked busy down the left for the final 30 , not sure what we read into him not being part of that strong first half side but he probably needs a kick up the arse anyway. Collins took the penalty in the first half which tells us nothing.

So. We’re just a couple of weeks away from season previews telling you MK Dons are too short, what are they hanging their hat on?

I guess this is last chance for the Kuwait Owners despite only being here for 12 months. Williamson football didn’t work. Lindsay football didn’t work. They built 2 sides for those two teams but now are building another for Paul Warne football. I don’t know where you go after those, especially if MK fans don’t warm to Warne-Ball even if they have more points in the win column. It’s some side though.

Round Up

Charlie Caton scored his first goal for Accrington as they went down 2-1 to Blackburn, Caton already spoke about his dissapointment in his production since coming in from Chester in January. Jake Tabor scored 120 times in the 9th tier and represents a big bit of business for Swindon, he scored twice in Town’s 4-0 win against Melksham Town, I’ll set the ‘He’s the new Jamie Vardy’ column inches spreads at 40-45.

Christoph Klarer scored from a corner for Birmingham as they beat Sevilla 3-1, ask any Blues fan, they’ll tell you all about it. Barrow New Boy Ines Cameron scored a brace in a 2-0 win at Lancaster City. Spurs loanee Damola Ajayi scored twice as Doncaster won 5-0 at AFC Stamford. Jayden Wareham wanted away from Reading and Exeter were prepared to pay a development fee for him, he scored for The Grecians as they stuck 6 past Weston Super Mare.

Shad Ogie and Conor Masterson both had set piece chances for Gillingham as they drew 0-0 with Reading. It was a game that also included this report from Gillingham.

If Sam Gale marauding forwards from the back doesn’t get you excited for the new season then we can’t be friends.

If you saw anything of note on what was a busy day of friendlies yesterday, please do share in the comments below.

Be Lucky.