Warne delighted by Dons clean-sheet club record

Paul Warne is hoping for his fifth promotion as a manager this season

MK Dons boss Paul Warne has praised the work of goalkeeper Craig McGillivray and their defence after setting a club record with a sixth successive clean sheet.

The run began last season, against Newport County in April, and has continued into the new campaign with a goalless draw against Oldham Athletic and 2-0 win at Barrow.

"Obviously Craig's got the gloves and he comes for crosses, which I love. I keep encouraging him to come for everything and if he drops one and it goes in, that's on me, not on him," Warne told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"He's been outstanding but he's been marshalled by the backline and it goes throughout the team, we try and press, try and defend as high as we can so we don't have to defend a lot (near our box).

"The lads know how hard it is to create chances when we have the ball and we have to make it hard for the opposition, so everybody at the club should be really proud of the clean sheets and it's a good building block for success."

Former Rotherham United and Derby County boss Warne took over on a long-term contract just three days before the game against Newport four months ago.

But although he has yet to see his team concede, they have only won two of his six in charge - the other four ending goalless.

MK Dons have made several summer signings with a view to a promotion push this term and one of them, Callum Paterson, scored his first league goal for the club at Barrow eight minutes after Alex Gilbey had put them in front.

"Patto gives us a real focal point which we've probably been missing. He runs like a lunatic all game and because that was his first, I was screaming at him in the 93rd minute just to relax," Warne said.

"Gils is going to get goals if he's in the box. I like all the midfielders to load the box - I don't want a cross coming in if there's only one (player) in the box, I want to see people."

Warne praised the supporters who made the long journey to Cumbria for the game.

"They were loud, they were excellent. Unfortunately, I'm not very good at the whole Jurgen Klopp fist pump, it's not really my style," he added.

"I think I'll wait till I get my teeth done and then I'll get fist pumping. But sincerely, it meant a lot to the lads that people came so far and were signing so heartily, so I'd like to thank them."

Meanwhile, the club have changed the name of their charity from MK Dons SET to Milton Keynes Dons Community Trust.

Paul Mitchell, formerly of QPR, has been appointed as chief executive with the task of "overseeing all aspects of the charity's operation and delivery across its programmes and courses, building a tangible link between the football club and the city, and developing exciting opportunities for the wider community in Milton Keynes."