Rovers boss Grant McCann rues red card which ruined game against Swindon

Posted Sunday, September 03, 2023 by PA

Doncaster boss Grant McCann felt the dismissal of veteran midfielder Tommy Rowe ruined a great game after his side battled on to hold Swindon to a goalless draw.

Rovers, bottom of Sky Bet League Two, had been the more threatening before Rowe was shown a straight red card for a high challenge on Swindon midfielder George McEachran just before half-time.

McCann’s side fought vigilantly despite the disadvantage after the break and could even have secured all three points.

“I just felt the game was ruined by the decision,” McCann said. “It was two good teams who wanted to play and I felt it was going to be a really good game.

“The sending off changed the game and we had to look at a different way of playing in the second half. I don’t want to talk about it because you only end up getting yourself in trouble.

“I felt the team was excellent, resolute, defended every single ball that came into the box and I don’t think Ian Lawlor has made a save, which is testament to the players and how they worked.”

Though Rovers remain bottom of League Two with just a couple of points on the board, McCann is positive his side are heading in the right direction.

“It’s been a tough week for us,” he said. “We had a very good performance at MK Dons and then we were so unfortunate against Everton (in the Carabao Cup).

“Then we’ve had to show grit and determination to defend our goal which I think we did brilliantly.”

Swindon boss Michael Flynn was left frustrated as he felt his side had wasted an opportunity for a third win from four matches.

“It simply wasn’t good enough, with the decision-making and our quality of passing,” he said.

“We were too slow, too deep, played into their hands and played into their hands, which I don’t understand.

“On saying that, I think we should have had a few penalties because there was so much shirt pulling. Nothing gets done about it.

“I’m a little bit aggrieved, but we weren’t good enough in the final third to take the three points. That’s not just the strikers, it was wing-backs and midfielders as well.”

Town allowed forward Jacob Wakeling to join Peterborough in the final minutes of transfer deadline day.

Flynn said: “It was a very generous offer that was too good to turn down. We tried to counteract that with a big bid of our own for a player that got turned down.”