Doncaster Rovers boss Grant McCann gives assessment of Port Vale victory

George Broadbent's second-half goal gave Rovers their fourth win of pre-season, with the team also registering their third clean sheet after keeping another higher-division side at bay.

Once again Ian Lawlor did not have a save to make in the Doncaster goal, but Funso Ojo hit the crossbar for the visitors with their best chance of the afternoon at the end of the first half.

"I’m really pleased with how we are as a group,” said McCann, whose side welcome Harrogate Town to the Eco-Power Stadium a week today for the first match of the 2023/24 campaign.

“There is still a long way to go, there’s still a lot to do and a lot of improvement to do. But I think we’re on the right track.”

Rovers struggled to hit the same heights as Tuesday, particularly in the first half, but improved after the break as they claimed another win.

They came close to doubling their lead twice after that, courtesy of Luke Molyneux – the liveliest of their attackers – on both occasions, as Vale offered little in reply.

McCann said: “It was a good game, probably a tale of two halves. I thought they were better than us in the first half. I thought we were better in the second half.

"I thought we were a little bit lacklustre in the first half, a little bit pedestrian, not enough movement, energy was lacking from what we saw on Tuesday.

"We spoke to the players and said ‘we can’t go from there to there in the space of a few days’. We are fit enough, we are strong enough, we are robust enough.”

McCann added: "I felt we saw a real change in the second half and we were much improved.

"We can’t drop below the standards we have set, particularly on Tuesday. We did for 45 minutes today.

"It was a gentle reminder for the boys that you need to stay at that, because you can do it.”

Doncaster will give game-time to some of the players not involved today in a behind-closed-doors match against Huddersfield on Tuesday.