Grant McCann sets Doncaster top-spot target after win at Plymouth

Doncaster boss Grant McCann has set his side a target of topping League One by the “end of the week” following their 3-2 victory at basement side Plymouth.

John Marquis marked his 100th league appearance for Rovers with a superb double to sandwich Matty Blair’s close-range strike.

Argyle – still to win in the league after 10 games – levelled through Ruben Lameiras after 40 minutes but only got their second, through a Graham Carey rocket, deep into stoppage time.

McCann said: “We like to set small targets for the squad and after this win here we’ve said we would like to be number one by the end of the week.

“We go to Accrington next on Tuesday. They are a good side but I’ve set the group the goal of being top by the end of the week.

“We’ve got strength in depth and the attitude of the squad is good. Today, the subs – Ali Crawford, Alfie Beestin and Alfie May – made an impact and that’s what you want.

“Alfie could have had two goals.

“I called the players over after John scored the first goal because I was concerned.

“We didn’t start the game very well, which was really disappointing. I think after we scored we let them get a foothold in the game.

“I had to raise my voice at half-time because I told them after we scored the first goal that the way we were playing was not good enough to win.

“The response in the second half just shows you the character of the group and although we got three it could have been more.”

Argyle boss Derek Adams said: “We played well in the first half to get back into the game but then the tide turned and I thought in the second half Doncaster were the better team.

“In the second half we didn’t really get back into the game until the last five minutes.

“They took their opportunities well and had a few good opportunities in the second half because of our poor defending and our poor play.

“Our players just didn’t get as good a grip of the game as the Doncaster players did. We didn’t take the impetus that we had in the first half into the second half.

“Our goals were excellent but at this moment in time we are conceding quite easily. When I say easily I mean in that split-second we are not defending well enough and teams are getting goals against us.

“In the forward areas in the second half I didn’t think we threatened enough. We went from doing really well in the first half to not doing very well in the second.

“We’ve got an horrendous injury list, 10 high-profile, experienced players out and that doesn’t help me in my job to compete.

“We’re in the situation where we’re having to play players out of position and we’ve got a threadbare squad to go to Barnsley on Tuesday.

“It’s just about trying to get these players back from injury to give us more choices in the squad.”