A step up in quality but plenty of positives - the story of Doncaster Rovers 3 Middlesbrough 5

Value for money

Supporters that paid £10 to watch this contest certainly got their money's worth. Eight goals were scored and both sides produced some easy-on-the-eye passing sequences. Rovers, for the second time in five days, showed they can more than hold their own against a team two rungs up the footballing ladder despite the obvious gulf in quality at times - understandable given the resources Michael Carrick's side have in their favour.

This entertaining clash was played in right manner, too, and in front of 4,236 fans with a sizeable 1,738 making the journey down from the North-east.

Strength in depth laid bare

Six changes were made from the Rovers team which saw off Hull and you'd have to say it didn't look like a weakened or second string.

Into the side came the likes of Billy Sharp, Tom Nixon and Joe Sbarra. It goes to show the sheer strength in depth that Grant McCann has at his disposal, with at least two options in every position. He's certainly got some posers ahead of selecting his starting XI for the league curtain-raiser in a fortnight's time.

Despite the changes it was two of the first names on the teamsheet who helped restore parity. Luke Molyneux applied a fine finish from the right-hand side of the area after a clever, poked pass from Owen Bailey under pressure.

At that stage Boro were on top but the hosts rode the storm to rally back only to ultimately come out on the losing side. However, the scoreline is irrelevant in pre-season. Of much more importance is how the team performs, and on that front there can't be too many complaints from a Rovers perspective after largely matching a strong Championship side.

Step up in quality

McCann was happy with the manner of his side's performance in their midweek win over Hull City but couldn't hide his frustration that the team they faced wasn't at full strength.

There was no such worries here against a Boro side that finished eighth in the second tier last term. They went with arguably their strongest starting XI - with some big-money signings on show - and some of the passages of play from the visitors was everything you'd expect from a team much higher up the pyramid. Their quality showed with some extended periods of zippy, sharp passes and they made the breakthrough thanks to a fine long-range strike from Hayden Hackney, albeit it took the slightest of deflections on its way into the net.

Rovers turned the game on its head with goals from Molyneux and a Sharp penalty but Boro roared back with two quickfire strikes of their own early in the second half before £4m striker Emannuel Latte Lath increased their buffer further with a tap-in.

After a flurry of changes Joe Ironside made it 4-3 with a textbook header to inject an element of jeopardy into the contest only for sub Sonny Finch to make it 5-3 and stub out any lingering hopes of a comeback.

A step closer to Accrington

Only a 90-minute run-out at Rotherham next Saturday lies between Rovers and that league opener against Accrington.

Already, McCann will have a picture in his head of the starting XI he'll likely deploy but he gave little clues away here. Six changes on the hour mark shows that this team is fluid and that he has so many options. Keeping them all happy across the course of the season will be a tough job but there's certainly alot to be positive for Rovers right now, two weeks out from the starting gun being fired.

Rovers: Sharman-Lowe, Senior (Maxwell 61), Wood (Williams 70), Olowu (McGrath 70), Nixon (Sterry 61), Molyneux (Gibson 61), Broadbent (Flint 61), Bailey, Sbarra (Hurst 61), Yeboah (Miller 70), Sharp (Ironside 61)

Subs not used: Oram, Lawlor.