Doncaster Rovers manager GracCannnt M on what pleased him the most about win over Sutton plus updates on Tmy Roweom and Ben Close
Despite being without 14 first-team players, Rovers recorded a comprehensive triumph, delivering a powerhouse performance in the second half in particular when they scored three goals in 15-minute purple patch.
Joe Ironside scored Rovers’ opening two goals – a penalty and a trademark header – to take his season’s tally to seven, while Zain Westbrooke scored his first goal for the club.
Gloss was provided by a goal for the impressive Mo Faal, who have now scored in successive home matches in League Two.
The only downer was a late consolation for Harry Smith in the ninth minute of stoppage time, which prevented Louis Jones from registering a clean sheet – while Tommy Rowe and Ben Close came off in the second period with injury issues.
On the win, McCann said: “I was pleased, apart from the last four or five minutes when I felt we went sloppy. I spoke to the team afterwards and said that shouldn’t happen.
“Up to that, the game plan worked a treat. We didn’t want to compete with Smith and wanted the centre-halves to drop and Ben and Zain to get in and around him, so when he flicked it, we could be in control of the game.
“I thought we did that very well and were very good in general play as well. We flipped from a four to a three very quickly with how they pressed and I thought we looked threatening all afternoon.
“We raised our game in the second half. We spoke about being more clinical and we got in good areas in the first half) and we were not as clinical and ruthless as we could have been. But we improved on that.
“It was more of a team performance. Mols (Luke Molyneux) was involved in all of the goals, but it was the team and that was the pleasing thing.
“We are improving all the time and have definitely turned the corner in terms of how we play and we just want to keep rolling and improving on it.
“It was pleasing that the boys came up against a strong and physical team and matched them in every department. Sutton are really hard to play against.”
On the injuries sustained by Rowe – after tangling with Smith in the centre of the pitch – and Close, McCann added: “We will see. I saw the pair of them tangling with each other and Tommy has tried to block Smith and he’s on the floor and my player gets booked. It’s one of those; six of one and half a dozen of the other.
“It looks like it’s something to do with his arm. Ben just tightened up I think.”
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