Doncaster Rovers boss Grant McCann criticises penalty decisions in Harrogate Town defeat

But the Rovers chief admitted his side "didn't do enough" as a team after they were beaten 1-0.

McCann also disputed the second-half penalty which inflicted the loss after Joseph Olowu was judged to have fouled Abaraham Odoh inside the area.

Doncaster had two appeals turned down in the second half when Tommy Rowe and substitute Tyler Roberts were both brought down inside the box.

"I think it's a penalty on Tommy Rowe, (Mark) Oxley does him," said McCann.

"I know the referee says he plays advantage, he (Jon Taylor) has still got to go past two players and a goalkeeper rushing back to his line, so I don't see that as a clear chance for us.

"Their penalty is really, really disappointing for us because Joe Olowu clearly takes the ball and the ball deviates to the right.

"Then, at the other end, Tyler goes past their centre-half. Similar sort of incident. That one should have been (a penalty).

"But I'm a firm believer that you get what you deserve and I don't think we deserved anything from what we showed in the first half."

McCann named seven debutants in his starting line-up and brought two more off the bench after the break as Rovers were kicked into life by going a goal down.

Attempting to explain his side's poor start to the game, McCann said: "Maybe seven debuts on the pitch, not wanting to make a mistake, maybe there was a wee bit of nervousness. I don't know.

"Ultimately we can't start a first half like that, I felt we were way off it. We didn't get control.

"I said to the boys 'this is our stadium, we need to make it tough here'. I felt we made it a little bit too easy for Harrogate."

Rovers were backed by almost 7,000 home fans, with the club's former chairman, John Ryan, among them.

Ryan was in attendance for the first time since he stepped down ten years ago and watched on from a packed Black Bank.

The boyhood Doncaster fan is an infectious personality but couldn't inspire his beloved Rovers to their first opening-day win since McCann's first spell in charge.