Mixed emotions for Grant McCann after Doncaster and AFC Wimbledon draw

Posted Sunday, April 13, 2025 by PA

Doncaster boss Grant McCann was left with mixed feelings from the rollercoaster 1-1 draw with fellow promotion hopefuls AFC Wimbledon.

Wimbledon led early through Alistair Smith’s strike but saw skipper Jake Reeves dismissed on 28 minutes for a late challenge on Harry Clifton.

Rovers piled on the pressure but suffered a setback when substitute Billy Sharp was sent off on 72 minutes for an off-the-ball incident, only for Jamie Sterry’s deflected strike to draw them level 11 minutes from time.

McCann felt his side could have done more with the man advantage but was pleased to edge closer to the automatic promotion places.

He said: “We want to win our home games. But what is pleasing is the boys responded from being 1-0 down. Then we were down to 10 men and we had to regroup and we got the goal.

“We had some opportunities where we were just a bit slow in and around the box or didn’t get the shot off.

“It’s a point for us and if we had kept trying to keep passing it or crossing it into the box where there were big bodies, then maybe we wouldn’t have got it. Thankfully we had that good bit of quality from Jamie.

“We huffed and puffed a bit when they went down to 10 men. We improved in the second half but we probably didn’t pull the trigger enough and kept trying to walk it in.

“We got the equaliser but I was disappointed with the last 10 minutes because it didn’t feel like we were going to score.”

Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson labelled his side as ‘outstanding’ as they dug in for a point.

Jackson’s side played for more than 60 minutes with 10 men and showed tremendous organisation and resolve to limit Doncaster to few clear-cut opportunities while also keeping their automatic promotion hopes alive.

He said: “We were outstanding and the lads were magnificent in the way they dug in against the odds and had to do it the hard way.

“I think we deserved to win because of the effort we put in and the way we defended.

“We had to play 11v10 for the best part of 60 minutes and that takes it’s toll. We’ve ended the game absolutely going for it and there only looked like one winner for me.

“I just can’t ask any more from the lads – the way they’ve put their bodies on the line, run, pressed, tackled and fought for each other and the shirt. I’m so proud of them.

“I’m gutted for them because when you put that level of performance and you work that hard, to only get a point from it is harsh. What a shift from the lads.”