Preview: Doncaster Rovers vs AFC Wimbledon - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to get back to winning ways and crack the top two in the League One table, Doncaster Rovers will welcome AFC Wimbledon to the Eco-Power Stadium on Saturday.

The hosts suffered just a second league defeat of the season last time out, while their visitors climbed to 11th spot with a victory at the weekend.

Match preview

Doncaster Rovers head into the weekend aiming to rebound from a rare setback last time out, having made a strong start on their return to England's third tier.

After winning promotion and the League Two title last time around, the Yorkshire outfit find themselves fifth having earned 16 points from their first eight outings, winning five and only losing two of those while conceding just eight goals.

Grant McCann's side managed three of those victories consecutively across late August and early September, seeing off Port Vale and Doncaster Rovers before prevailing in a 3-1 Yorkshire Derby triumph over Bradford City thanks to goals from Luke Molyneux, Jordan Gibson and Billy Sharp.

A trip to Wigan Athletic then followed last weekend, but the Rovers failed to make it four wins in a row, instead succumbing to a 3-0 beating as Dara Costelloe, Matthew Smith and Fraser Murray got on the scoresheet for their hosts.

Still sitting in a strong position in the early stages of the League One term, Doncaster Rovers will bid to put last week's disappointment behind them and strengthen their standing at the top end of the division with a third straight home league triumph.

They meet another side keen to improve their standing in League One after winning promotion last time around, having triumphed in the League Two playoffs to seal their return to the third tier.

From their eight league outings thus far, AFC Wimbledon have managed 12 points courtesy of four victories and four defeats, scoring 10 goals and conceding 10 goals along the way.

Following back-to-back away losses at the hands of Bradford City and Bolton Wanderers, Johnnie Jackson's men welcomed Rotherham United last weekend and returned to winning ways in a 2-1 triumph, as Jake Reeves drew them level early in the second half and Mathew Stevens scored the decisive goal from the penalty spot.

The Dons then hosted Crystal Palace Under-21s in EFL Trophy action in midweek and made it consecutive victories, as Joe Lewis, Antwoine Hackford and Kai Jennings got on the scoresheet.

Now sitting 11th in what has been a positive, but inconsistent start to life back in League One, AFC Wimbledon will bid to make it back-to-back third-tier wins and three in a row in all competitions in Saturday's trip.

Doncaster Rovers League One form:

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Doncaster Rovers form (all competitions):

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AFC Wimbledon League One form:

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AFC Wimbledon form (all competitions):

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Team News

Doncaster Rovers will remain without defender Jamie Sterry and midfielder Robbie Gotts on Saturday due to ongoing injuries.

They should be unchanged in attack, with veteran Billy Sharp leading the line ahead of Jordan Gibson, Harry Clifton and key man Luke Molyneux, who notched up 16 goals and 12 assists in their triumphant League Two campaign last time around, should Clifton be deemed fit after his early withdrawal last week.

Owen Bailey remains a key man at the base of the midfield, having top scored with five goals so far this term, while Matty Pearson and Connor O'Riordan should again partner up in defence.

Johnnie Jackson could revert to the Doncaster Rovers starting XI from last weekend, despite their midweek cup victory after making rotations, with Mathew Stevens bound to return up front having netted five league goals so far this season after hitting 17 in League Two last time around.

Marcus Browne and Danilo Orsi will compete for attacking spots, but Stevens could instead be joined by Omar Bugiel and Myles Hippolyte again.

Alistair Smith will continue to join key man Jake Reeves in the engine room, while Isaac Ogundere, Patrick Bauer and Ryan Johnson will reform a back three.

Doncaster Rovers possible starting lineup:

Lo-Tutala; Nixon, Pearson, O'Riordan, Maxwell; Bailey, Broadbent; Gibson, Clifton, Molyneux; Sharp

AFC Wimbledon possible starting lineup:

Bishop; Ogundere, Bauer, Johnson; Asiimwe, Smith, Reeves, Seddon; Hippolyte; Bugiel, Stevens

We say: Doncaster Rovers 1-0 AFC Wimbledon

AFC Wimbledon will head to the Eco-Power Stadium with some renewed confidence and have again shown their defensive resilience for large parts of the new season, but we do not see them matching the hosts and back Doncaster Rovers to take all three points.

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