Newport County return to action this Saturday afternoon (12:30pm) as they welcome MK Dons to Rodney Parade for their next Sky Bet League Two clash.
The Exiles head into this fixture following tight defeats in their last two matches, losing 2-1 and 0-1 to Grimsby Town and Salford City respectively. Up against a side tipped to challenge for the title, Newport County are set for another tough challenge in their difficult opening to the campaign.
Opposition Focus
MK Dons are one of just seven teams still unbeaten in League Two this season, having recorded two wins and two draws from their opening four matches. That run sees them sitting fifth in the table, with Paul Warne’s side boasting the third-best attacking record in the division with eight goals scored, while also holding the best defensive record—conceding only once, in their most recent outing against Crawley Town.
It marks a stark contrast to last season, when the Dons endured a disappointing campaign by their own standards. Expected to challenge for promotion, they instead found themselves battling relegation by April. The instability was reflected in the dugout, with five different managers taking charge over the course of the season. Mike Williamson departed for Carlisle United in September 2024, club legend Dean Lewington briefly stepped in as player-coach for a single match, Scott Lindsey then took the reins until March before being dismissed after a poor run of results, and Ben Gladwin oversaw the side in caretaker capacity ahead of Warne’s arrival in April.
This summer, MK Dons made headlines across League Two with the signing of Newport-born striker Aaron Collins from Bolton Wanderers for a reported £875,000—a fee that surprised many at this level. Collins arrives with a proven record, having scored 19 goals in all competitions last season as Bolton pushed for promotion to the Championship. His arrival, alongside several other high-profile additions, has underlined the belief that MK Dons will once again be among the frontrunners in this year’s title race.
Head-to-Head
Newport County and MK Dons have only met on nine occasions, with the Dons holding the upper hand. They have claimed five victories compared to the Exiles’ two, while the remaining two encounters have ended in draws.
The first meeting between the clubs came in the 2016/17 season, when they faced off in the first round of the Carabao Cup at Rodney Parade. On that occasion, MK Dons edged a five-goal thriller 3-2 to book their place in the second round.
Memorable Encounter
One of the most memorable clashes between the two sides came last season, when Newport County produced a thrilling 6-3 victory over MK Dons at Rodney Parade.
Bryn Morris set the tone early with two quick-fire strikes in the 12th and 16th minutes, before Bobby Kamwa extended the lead from close range. Morris then completed a dream first half by converting a 36th-minute penalty to seal his hat-trick, though Luke Offord pulled one back for the visitors just before the interval.
The second half began at the same frantic pace, with Luke Jephcott teeing up Kamwa to fire home his second goal only two minutes after the restart. MK Dons threatened a comeback as Joe White and Offord struck in the 71st and 75th minutes to reduce the deficit to 5-3. However, Kamwa had the final say, curling in a superb effort from a tight angle to complete his hat-trick and secure an unforgettable win for the Exiles.
Shared Shirts
Regan Poole came through the youth ranks of Cardiff City and Newport County, making 15 appearances for the latter. Poole left Newport County to join Manchester United for an initial fee of £100,000 that had the potential to rise to £400,000 with add-ons. The Welsh defender rejoined the Exiles on loan from the Red Devils for the 2018-19 season. Poole helped the side reach the Play-Off final where they lost 1-0 to Tranmere Rovers.
Following his release from Manchester United, Poole signed for MK Dons who had just been promoted to League One. Poole spent two seasons with the Dons, making 51 appearances.
Scott Twine joined Newport County on loan from Swindon Town for the first half of the 2020-21 season. Twine took League Two by storm, making 24 appearances in which he scored 7 goals and registered 7 assists.
The English attacker joined MK Dons in the following season and went on to have one of the best individual seasons League One has seen, scoring 20 goals, assisting 13 in 50 matches. These performances attracted the interest of Burnley and Twine joined the Clarets for a fee in the region of £2.5 million.