Yorkshire Post

Positive approach is the only way forward for confident Doncaster

- Stuart Rayner CHIEF FOOTBALL WRITER

A draw, or even a one-goal defeat, will be enough to see Doncaster Rovers through to their first playoff final since 2008.

But manager Grant McCann will be telling his players to go for the win in front of a sold-out Eco-Power Stadium on Friday.

Doncaster go into the second leg of their League Two play-off semifinal with a 2-0 lead after goals from Luke Molyneux and Harrison Biggins at Crewe Alexandra's Gresty Road on Monday.

It could be an awkward advantage if Doncaster overthink it, so McCann has a very simple message for his players.

"We'll just try and be positive, that's all we've been preaching to the players – positivity, calmness and trying to be in control," said the former Northern Ireland internatio­nal. "Hopefully we'll get the same on Friday night.

"It's going to be chockabloc­k so hopefully our fans can enjoy the game and we can give them something to shout about.

"We'll manage the game by going to win it."

The last season of McCann's first spell as Rovers manager also saw them reach the play-offs, although Charlton Athletic beat them in a penalty shoot-out in the League One semi-finals.

It is 16 years since they won a playoff final, again in League One, when a James Hayter goal famously saw off Leeds United at Wembley. They also won the 2003 Conference final with Francis Tiereney’s golden goal at Stoke’s Britannia Stadium.

Doncaster are unbeaten in their last 13 matches, winning 10 of them, and the 1-0 win at home to Wrexham is the only game in that sequence where at least one of their front three of Molyneux, Joe Ironside and Hakeeb Adelukan have not found the net.

The way they swapped positions at Gresty Road, where Ironside created midfielder Biggins’ goal from the right, showed the good understand­ing the trio have.

"We work on it every single day relentless­ly – our shape, our structure and our style of play but within that there's always a freedom for players to express themselves, particular­ly at the top end of the pitch and I think we're seeing that,” said McCann.

This year’s final is on May 19.

 ?? ?? POSITIVE THINKING: Doncaster Rovers Luke Molyneux celebrates after he scores the opening goal against Crewe Alexandra at Gresty Road.
POSITIVE THINKING: Doncaster Rovers Luke Molyneux celebrates after he scores the opening goal against Crewe Alexandra at Gresty Road.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom