Doncaster Rovers manager Grant McCann was left frustrated after his side conceded late to draw 2-2 with Stevenage at the SPORTA Arena this week. The result means Rovers are still without a League One victory this season, sitting 19th with just two points from three games, a record of zero wins, two draws and one loss.
Stevenage's Josh Magennis opened the scoring before Doncaster responded with goals from Jack Senior and Owen Bailey. Oliver Sanderson then netted a late equaliser for the visitors to share the points. The draw extends a concerning early trend for McCann's team, who have now scored three goals but conceded four this campaign.
McCann believed his team should have secured all three points. He described the first half as having 'nothing in it' and said his side's defensive shape was fine. The manager was disappointed with the defending for Stevenage's first goal but praised his players' outstanding response to going behind.
He thought Rovers were the much better team after the break. "What’s concerning at this moment in time is we’ve conceded really soft goals in our three games," McCann said. He added that the team is switching off at vital moments and getting punished, which he finds frustrating. Despite the disappointment, the manager believes the point could prove decent in the long run.
Stevenage boss Alex Revell saw the match as an end-to-end battle. "It was end-to-end and a battle. From our point of view, we played some really good football," Revell stated. He felt his side should have been ahead after a strong first-half display and took the lead in the second period before sitting back slightly.
Revell highlighted the character his team showed to come back after falling behind late on. He viewed the performance, for energy and togetherness, as more typical of Stevenage. The point, he said, provides a platform to start again.
The immediate concern for McCann is tightening a defence that has been leaky at key moments. With a negative goal difference and sitting five points behind early leaders Blackpool, turning draws into wins is essential. The team's recent form reads DDL.
Attention now turns swiftly to the next challenge. Rovers host Notts County at home on September 1st. County are currently sixth in the table, presenting another tough test. A positive result is needed to climb away from the lower reaches of the division. Fans can track the team's progress and upcoming matches on our fixtures and stats hubs.
Finding a way to stop conceding soft goals will be the priority before that match. If they can solve that issue, their ability to create chances and score, as shown against Stevenage, should start yielding more points.
