Stevenage FC

Weather: Partly cloudy, 16°c

Referee: Fred Graham (Essex)

Stevenage take a break from league action this Tuesday night as MK Dons visit The Lamex Stadium in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Second Round.

This is Stevenage's first game in the 2013/14 competition after the club received a bye into the Second Round. MK Dons reached the Second Round with a comfortable 2-0 win over Northampton in early September. The Cobblers had a man sent off after 33 minutes but it took until seven minutes after half time for the Dons to take advantage, who else but Patrick Bamford scoring with a volley. Dele Alli doubled the lead six minutes later when he fired home a Jason Banton cross.

Patrick Bamford's brace helped MK Dons to a convincing win over Stevenage and into the top six in League One 10 days ago. Bamford opened the scoring with a glancing header from Shaun Williams' free-kick and added his second by slotting home Luke Chadwick's cut back. Dele Alli poked home a third for the hosts before Darren Potter turned a Luke Freeman cross past his own goalkeeper to give Boro hope. But Shaun Williams' penalty after Sam Wedgbury tripped Alli secured the win. 

Boro: Day, Wedgbury, Ashton, Hartley, Hills (Cowan 46), Smith (Tounkara 69), Dunne, Tansey, Doughty (Shroot 90), Deacon, Freeman

Subs not used: Arnold, Lopez, Heslop, Jones

Stevenage could hand debuts to Francois Zoko and Bruno Andrade in this game whilst Darius Charles could return from his ankle injury. Lucas Akins, Dani Lopez and Filipe Morais will all be hoping for recalls to the starting XI after coming on as subs against Coventry but David Gray (knee), Ben Chorley (calf) and Jordan Burrow (ankle) are doubts.

MK Dons will be without Tom Flanagan through suspension after the defender was dismissed for a professional foul against Gillingham on Saturday. Dele Alli (ankle), Anthony Kay (hip), Dean Bowditch (hip) and George Baldock are all injury doubts after missing the weekend fixture. Danny Green has returned to Charlton so there could be a start for Daniel Powell whilst Ian McLoughlin, Alan Smith and Izale McLeod will all be hoping for starts too.

MK Dons come into this game in mixed form having won just two of the last five games. Apart from their 4-1 win over Boro 10 days ago, their only other win was a 3-1 home win over Notts County in mid-September. They’ve also lost 2-1 at Peterborough and drawn 1-1 at home to Swindon before losing 3-2 at Gillingham on Saturday. Whilst the Dons are unbeaten at home they only have the 14th best away record in the league, with a single win from five games, that being a late 1-0 win at Sheffield United. They also lost 4-2  at Sunderland in the Capital One Cup but did win 2-1 against neighbours Northampton in the first round of that competition.

After notching twice against Boro at stadium:mk recently and twice against Gillingham on Saturday, Patrick Bamford now has 10 goals to his name this season in all competitions. The talented 19-year old scored one with a header and another with a fine sweeping finish against Boro and continues to impress in League One. The 19-year old is in his third spell at MK Dons having enjoyed two loan periods last season when he scored four times in 17 games.

Should Karl Robinson opt to rest Bamford then he has a more than handy replacement in Izale McLeod. The 28-year old is the club’s all-time leading goalscorer after scoring 60 goals in 135 appearances during his first spell at the club between 2004-2007. Permanent moves to Charlton (3 goals in 57 apps), Barnet (36 goals in 90 apps) and Portsmouth (11 goals in 28 apps) followed, plus a number of loan moves, before he returned to MK Dons in January. This season he has scored twice in 12 appearances.

Ticket prices for this game are different to usual league fixtures and can be found below. There are no "In Advance" or "Match Day" prices, simply turn up and pay on the turnstiles on the night.

£15 - Adult

£10 - Concessions & Youth

£1 - U16s

£10 - Adult

£5 - Concessions & Youth

£1 - U16s