Bumper Doncaster Rovers crowd treated to tactical masterclass as play-off belief grows

Grant McCann's side were 2-0 down at half-time and had a sizeable job on their hands but they produced a comeback for the ages.

Joe Ironside's brace and strikes from Hakeeb Adelakun and sub Harrison Biggins flipped the game on its head. Rovers are now outside the play-offs on goal difference but play their game in hand on Tuesday at Colchester.

Here, we look at four major talking points to emerge from the contest at DN4.

Belief now everywhere

Rovers' ninth consecutive win was a scarcely believable prospect just before the hour mark. At that point they were 2-0 down to a Barrow side that had kept them at arms' length.

But a swashbuckling performance from the hosts saw four unanswered goals arrived. It's now nine on the bounce and they head to Colchester on Tuesday looking to stretch it into double figures. The mood that they are in, you would be a fool to bet against them doing so.

Manager Grant McCann gleefully ran down the touchline once the third, crucial goal from Harrison Biggins went in - something that is likely to earn him a but was much more reserved when speaking to the media post-match.

"I said to the boys at half-time that if we could win it then it'd be the best of all our wins," McCann said. "We weren't good enough first half but once we got the penalty just after half-time I felt we could win. Second half we got on top of them."

Ice-cool Joe

Whilst the brilliant header from Biggins or yet another goal for Hakeeb Adelakun will probably grab the limelight, the first goal from Joe Ironside was arguably the catalyst.

Rovers were 2-0 down and the clock was ticking towards the hour when the top scorer stepped up and confidently reduced the arrears.

If ever there was a player you wanted to rely on to score a penalty in such a scenario, it was Ironside. That laid the foundations and what followed was a simply superb win.

Speaking to the media post-match, the striker said: "It was just about keeping calm and sticking to the script. I've practiced my routine throughout my career and stick to it and don't go away from that. Thankfully it went in the back of the net so happy days."

Tactical masterclass

McCann certainly went for it when, with his side trailing 2-1, he made a triple substitution just after the hour mark. Not only did he change personnel, but also formation.

Tom Anderson was referred to as a 'marauding Maldini' after his introduction into the new-look back three, and he would ultimately set up Adelakun to make it 2-2.

Fellow subs Kyle Hurst and Tommy Rowe also provided assists, with Biggins the pick of the changes after his game-changing third.

"There was no point sitting and waiting that we'd get an equaliser," said McCann. "It was about getting the boys on there who can do something. Hursty was outstanding when he came on, Tommy Rowe put the ball in for Biggo - Tom was like a marauding Maldini on the left. It was great to see.

"These lads are quality. It was a massive team effort today."

Full-house atmosphere

The attendance of 10,251 was a shade below the highest league attendance at the Eco-Power this season (Wrexham, 10,537) but the swell of support certainly played its part.

In the build-up to this fixture McCann banged the drum for as many people as possible to turn up and the Doncaster public duly obliged.

Whilst some of the home fans overstepped the mark with pitch incursions following some of the goals, the majority helped bring the noise and create a vibrant atmosphere. McCann, his staff and the players, along with their families, re-emerged shortly after full-time to a well-received lap of appreciation.

The big hope is that this is not the swansong on home soil and that a play-off semi-final still awaits Rovers next month.