League One Midweek Tips: MK Dons can pull away from fellow strugglers Shrewsbury

Dons can maintain their good run away from Plough Lane

Gillingham v AFC Wimbledon
Tuesday 24th November, kick-off 18:00

With the up and down nature of results in League One lately, I was happy to take two out of three on Saturday to make a small profit thanks to a late goal frenzy. Ipswich scored a winner on 97 minutes, whilst Glyn Hodges' Wimbledon secured our Sportsbook SAME GAME MULTI play with an excellent 0-1 at Rochdale thanks to a 90th minute decider. It's nice when they go our way for once.

The Londoners have been better on their travels this season, winning a higher percentage of games with just one defeat in seven away from Plough Lane. Saturday's success was hardly a blockbuster, and the first-half at Spotland provided little excitement, but the Dons are never likely to be open. They restricted their opponents to just one shot on target despite giving them most of the possession, and that's been a common theme in the division this season with the passing stats not translating to success.

This will be a different sort of game as Gillingham are fairly direct themselves and like to go long, and there's every chance the two will cancel each other out. It's no surprise the draw is a tick under the normal odds we'd expect at 3.259/4. I can also see the trading options for taking the 0-0 on the Correct Score market at 9.89/1, as the Gills have scored just six in seven at Priestfield, with the Dons conceding just five in the same amount of games on the road.

Steve Evans will no doubt be his fiery self, and reading his after-match comments has become a little hobby of mine.

In short, both can be fairly solid at the back and it's a game that doesn't scream goals. The Under 2.5 is a little on the short side, so we'll go again on the Double Chance bet with the Dons.

Appleton to spoil another homecoming party for Sheridan

Swindon Town v Lincoln City
Tuesday 24th November, kick-off 19:00

John Sheridan recently swapped Wigan for Swindon and the new boss at the County Ground gained his first victory in the hotseat on Saturday with a 1-0 victory against Bristol Rovers. Reading the reports, it looked a game short on quality and few clear-cut chances. Town are known more of a passing team at this level, but when the confidence is shot to pieces, it's hard to play that way.

Sheridan's first win and clean sheet addressed an alarming run-rate of conceding 36 goals in 16 games and I am not too confident about them keeping a clean sheet with Lincoln in town.

The visitors dropped to sixth but, after a couple of tough games, they earned a point at Accrington on Saturday in a game they should have got all three with strong claims for a penalty. However, Stanley are a good side and Lincoln face an easier opponent on Tuesday in Swindon.

Lincoln boss Michael Appleton wasn't too dissatisfied with his team's performance on Saturday, but it was evident they lacked the finishing touch and moment of quality in the final third. That has been the one nagging problem in an otherwise fine start.

With only one defeat on the road this term, Lincoln look a reasonable price here at 2.285/4 as I don't trust Swindon to follow up with another victory.

Dons to get it right at the hands of Shrews

MK Dons v Shrewsbury Town
Tuesday 24th November, kick-off 19:00

Shrewsbury manager Sam Ricketts is under pressure following another defeat on Saturday. His side are now without a win in seven and sit in 22nd with just eight points, which is why it's hard to make a case for the visitors despite their odds of 4.1031/10. Even in a league of shocks and surprises, I won't be backing this one.

Town were unlucky in conceding so late against Ipswich at the weekend, whilst Ricketts felt his team deserved to be awarded three penalties, but they are switching off at crucial times. It was a watchable game at Portman Road, but conceding soft goals is becoming a habit for the Shrews, and with their front three not firing with just four goals on the road, this looks a good opportunity for the Dons to get some points on the board.

I've changed my opinion of the MK team. It seems Russell Martin is beginning to get it right. His method is to pass, pass and pass the ball. They completely dominated their match at the weekend in terms of possession, but they were equally culpable at the back by gifting Hull three goals. The Tigers are a quality outfit at this level with good forward players, and Grant McCann was ruthless in terms of his target gameplan that focussed on Richard Keogh.

Martin called the game "attack versus defence", and that surely has to be a good sign against the league's best team. It could be a low-scorer on Tuesday, as neither are clinical, but the hosts are improving and should be able to convert their play into goals.