MK Dones (N) The Emotionally Dunstable Match Thread

[Bee_Forever]

So....... Friday sees the bees travel to Dunstable to take on MK Dons in our latest pre-season friendly.

After a good run out at Hitchin this promises to be another opportunity to gain fitness, this time against our perennial PSF opponents from Bletchley.

If reports are to be believed our fixture against the club stealers put us at odds with AFC ground stealers but in the context of the fixtures and their relative positions it is much of a muchness.

Given the Hive is unavailable due to ground works (they are reinforcing the bench to take our new squad), a trip to Dunstable is a fun diversion and seeing Bees on neutral turf worked out very well last time at a certain milk loving stadium. there is also an emotional link as Barry Fry retired from football and took up his first managerial assignment at Dunstable Town.

In terms of team line up expect it to be another mix and match affair.

---------------------------Hayes--------------------------------------

------------Kizzi----------Rye-------------Grimwood---------------

----Tavares---------------------------------------------Kenlock-----

------------------------Shelton-------Hartigan-----------------------

-------------Browne-----------Wilkinson-----------Francis----------

---------------------------------Kabamba--------------------------------

I am doing this one. First game of the season. Hope we put a bit of a marker down.

COYBs.

[Ajtheone04]

Bee_Forever...

This is 12 players

[Bee_Forever]

Bee_Forever...

This is 12 players

Oh dear. I can't blame rustiness this time. Finley drops out

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[pletch99]

Nah we should just play with 12 men and hope nobody notices….

[Anthony]

Nah we should just play with 12 men and hope nobody notices….

Managed this in a cricket match once. Although I think the opposition did notice, but given we were about 28 "all out" they didn't mind us sticking an extra one out into the middle!

[Uniman61]

So....... Friday sees the bees travel to Dunstable to take on MK Dons in our latest pre-season friendly.

Given the Hive is unavailable due to ground works (they are reinforcing the bench to take our new squad), a trip to Dunstable is a fun diversion and seeing Bees on neutral turf worked out very well last time at a certain milk loving stadium. there is also an emotional link as Barry Fry retired from football and took up his first managerial assignment at Dunstable Town.



COYBs.

When Barry Fry was at Dunstable didn't he manage to persuade George Best to turn out for him at Dunstable town FC.

[let_it_bee]

Shame it had to be at Dunstable - would have been the ideal pretext for me to visit MK stadium for the first time, which is walkable from where I now live, but can’t bring myself to go to a “Dons” game, in light of their history. (Can’t really fathom why they persist with that tainted identity - why not just rebrand as MK City or something to distance themselves from all that bitterness and rancour.)

[DSM]

Anyone know why Kanu hasn’t been involved so far this season?

[ETBee]

Was anybody there who could give a report? I see from X we won 1-2.

[magiovinium_bee]

Idris got about half an hour tonight

[let_it_bee]

We were by far the better team first half - less so in the second, when their pace up front caused us problems and they missed a number of good chances. Some excellent performances though and we look to have so many more options than last season. I thought Browne was outstanding first half, and then 2 really well taken goals from Wilkinson and Clifford (I think). Tavares also caught my eye - a strong defender with good composure on the ball. Kanu really struggled to get into the game and I suspect might find it difficult to hold down a regular starting place (if he stays).

[hoppy]

Comment from MK Forum, “Barnet were a nasty bunch, played dirty throughout.”

[WestHampsteadBee]

First half we were really really good. They play a lot like Gateshead do with their high starting positions and movement but with better players. Dons had 6 starters in their team in that half but we pressed well and looked dangerous on the turnover. This was a down to the midfield duo of Hartigan and Tavares who’s styles compliment each other and give us an option I didnt think we’d have. Brunt and Browne looked very sharp and I think Joe Rye could end up with a place in starting 11 soon enough.

Second half, Stead looked sharp, as did Wilkinson again. Clifford once again looked very technical but also hard working and aggressive in the tackle. First chance to see Jermaine Francis and he really impressed at left wing back. Kanu on the other hand struggled but he has been injured. They had a stronger team out second half and dominated the ball more but didn’t overwork Gilmore or Hayes.

Wilkinson took us goal very well again, he’s a very clean striker of the ball and looks after it well. He’s for to learn the game though especially when we’re out of possession. I think he’ll come into the side in the way stead did last season. Clifford’s goal was just as well taken, wining the ball high up and smashing it top corner. We deserved the win and from the 2 games so far we are going to have a lot of selection decisions to make! I think there’s a few nailed on starters and then lots of decisions from there.

[CrawleyBee]

Comment from MK Forum, “Barnet were a nasty bunch, played dirty throughout.”

Hope that is the case, it’s sometimes what it takes to win those difficult games. Didn’t go, but was following and didn’t seem a dirty game.

[ninestein]

As much as last season was good overall, at times it felt like we had a soft underbelly which could be exploited with the right tactics. The playoff and Oldham games spring to mind. If we've addressed that by getting players in who can mix it a bit more, that's a good thing.

There's a difference between "dirty/nasty" and being "competitive". I suspect we fall into the latter.