PREVIEW: Warne ready for Dons challenge

ROTHERHAM United chief Paul Warne sees a lot of similarities between his side and today's opponents MK Dons.

The Dons sit eight places below the Millers in the League One standings, but only four points separate the two side, highlighting just how tight the table is.

And Warne is well aware of how Robbie Neilson's side will look to play when they lock horns at the AESSEAL New York Stadium.

He told the Advertiser: "MK Dons are a really good footballing side who play expansive football.

"They make the pitch big and play through the lines. They’re not dissimilar to us, they’re only a few points behind us in the league, they’re another one of the teams in the middle group, there are a lot of us.

"On their day they can beat anyone, but like everyone else, they can lose too. 

"They have more of the ball than other teams and they can hurt you if you let them, but it’s about stopping them doing that."

Warne knows that his squad will have to be on top of their game if they are to extend their unbeaten run to three games, and is looking for the same desire and endeavour as the Millers showed last weekend when netted an injury time equaliser against Plymouth despite being down to ten men.

He added: "I like our team to play with a lot of energy so I’m not one for sitting back and letting the opposition have it.

"There are times to press and times not to, so if someone isn’t within a decent distance from a player then you cannot press, because if you do you just get popped off.

"We limited Plymouth to very little of the ball last weekend, even when we went down to ten men so the energy and the commitment from the lads was excellent.

"I’ll be looking for a similar effort this week with hopefully a goal if we are on top."

Winger Jon Taylor and will miss the game through injury, as will Daren Potter (achilles), who isn't fit to face his former employers.

Top-scorer Kieffer Moore serves the final game of his three match ban, while defender Richard Wood serves his one game suspension following his dismissal last weekend.

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