Grant McCann refuses to talk about Doncaster’s play-off charge

Posted Sunday, April 14, 2024 by PA

Doncaster manager Grant McCann is determined not to discuss his side’s play-off hopes despite surging to an eighth straight league victory in beating Accrington.

The 4-0 triumph at the Eco Power Stadium, coupled with results in their favour elsewhere, saw Rovers cut the gap to the top seven down to just a single point with a home game against sixth-placed Barrow to come next.

McCann has stubbornly insisted on focusing only on the next match for his side and continued to do so after an extremely positive day for his side.

“I’m not concerned what others have done,” he said. “I just want to finish the season strong and if it’s good enough to put us right in that top seven then great. If not, then that’s the way it is.

“The boys are riding the crest of a wave at the minute and all we can do is focus on ourselves. We’ve got a game against another side in the top seven next week [Barrow] and hopefully another good game.

“They beat us easily at their place and hopefully we show how much we’ve improved.”

Hakeeb Adelakun gave Rovers a fifth-minute lead before Joe Ironside’s 20th goal of the campaign doubled the advantage midway through the first half.

James Maxwell and Owen Bailey both struck after the break as Doncaster cruised to the win.

McCann said: “I thought we played really well. We knew we were up against an Accrington team that have had two really good results coming into it and I thought they would be dangerous and they would play with freedom.

“Once the goal went in for us, they kept coming and credit to them. But I thought my team was really good.”

Stanley boss John Doolan felt Doncaster simply showed more quality on the afternoon to take the win.

He said: “It sounds a bit mad but I asked the lads to start on the front foot and I thought we did for the first five or six minutes but the first goal goes in and it just puts you on the back foot.

“We concede these early goals and you need a response. It was difficult.

“There was loads of effort. The lads did respond and it was a big day for the full backs and wingers on both teams. We’ve both got good wingers and ours got into some good positives but they were more effective for us.

“It wasn’t for lack of effort and they just had a bit more quality and that was the deciding moments in the game.

“We’ll draw a line under this one and move onto the next game. We want to pick us as many points as well can in the remaining games.”