Dons are getting back to form, warns Elliott

CHELTENHAM Town boss Wade Elliott believes Milton Keynes Dons are a better side than their current 21st position in League One suggests, writes Jon Palmer.

Ahead of this afternoon’s clash at the Completely-Suzuki Stadium, the Robins chief suggested the Dons had been performing better of late, after a slow start to the campaign.

Elliott, pictured, said: “They’ve had a bit of transition in their squad. They are probably victims of their own success because players have reached a ceiling and a couple have moved up a level.

“Certainly watching the last few games, they’ve been very good against Wycombe (1-0 home defeat) and Charlton (2-0 away victory). They are getting back to the sort of form we saw last season.

“They’d have been confident from their Wycombe performance as well (as the Charlton win), but (Dons boss) Liam (Manning) might be asked a similar question about us.

“They have a good squad. (Mo) Eisa has come back in, they have Will Grigg up top, they have (Matthew) Dennis, so despite their position they have a very good squad.”

Meanwhile, Dons defender Dean Lewington admits to being a bit of a football dinosaur as he approaches the 900th appearance of his career.

The 38-year-old is set to reach the milestone today, having played his first Football League game for the old Wimbledon FC against Sheffield Wednesday in 2003.

“As you get older, especially the way modern football is going, over 30s are seen as prehistoric really,” he said. “They’ve been trying to replace me for the last 15 years so to get this far is not too bad.

“I’ve been doing well enough to keep playing and be in the team and it’s got to quite a big number now.”

Lewington will have to play beyond his 40th birthday to reach the exclusive 1,000 appearances club whose members include Peter Shilton, Ray Clemence, Alan Ball, Frank Lampard Sr, Ryan Giggs, David James and Ian Callaghan.