McCann left frustrated after Doncaster’s ‘flat’ display at Fleetwood
Posted Thursday, December 27, 2018 by PA
Grant McCann says his Doncaster side did not look their normal selves as he pondered whether having Christmas Day off lead to their first defeat in nine with a 3-0 Boxing Day defeat at Fleetwood.
Ex-Peterborough boss McCann says he has not brought players in for training on December 25 for the last few years.
Joey Barton gave his Fleetwood players the day off, but a Paddy Madden double and Ash Hunter effort saw Town claim the points.
McCann says it is the first time his side have not trained before a game, but he says there is no time to dwell on that as they now face Gillingham on Saturday.
He said: “I have not done it for three years. I have not had my teams train on Christmas Day.
“Yes we travelled that night but we looked flat on Boxing Day.
“I’m learning about the group, but it is the first time we have not trained before a game.
“Christmas is about spending it with your family. Fleetwood were not flat and they had Christmas Day off.
“We did not look our normal selves. It is the first defeat in nine.
“We wanted to get back into the top six, a frustrating day but we need to get back on it for Gillingham.”
Barton joked that he felt his own side were feeling the impact of Christmas dinner in the first half.
Madden scored in the 11th minute but Doncaster dominated the opening 45 minutes with Andy Butler having a goal disallowed.
But Town impressed in the second half. Hunter scored in the 48th minute with Madden netting again in added-on time.
Barton said: “There were periods of the first half when I was thinking ‘have our lads consumed too much Christmas dinner’.
“Second half they had burnt through whatever they had eaten and we were first class. There is no right or wrong way.
“Had we been beaten I’d have still felt it was the right thing to do.
“As I say there are very few days in the calendar for the family like Christmas Day and I think it is important to be happy and be with your family.
“It is great to play football but I did not think one day of light training would make a huge difference. You are either fit or ready or you are not.
“Thankfully the lads got us the three points and they might have a chance of getting next Christmas off.”
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