Doncaster Rovers man expects reaction after 'one-off' result and performance at Wigan Athletic

Grant McCann's side lost 3-0 at the Brick Community Stadium last weekend, as their superb start to the campaign took a hefty hit.

"By far the poorest we've been all season," skipper Bailey declared, after watching Rovers concede more than two goals in a game for only the second time in 2025.

Indeed, that previous occasion came in a bizarre 5-2 reverse at Chesterfield last February. That night in Derbyshire proved to be a rare occurrence for McCann's men who ultimately went on to seal the League Two title.

Bailey used that setback as an example for the present day, indicating that everyone will be trying to rectify it when Rovers host AFC Wimbledon this coming weekend.

"Those two Chesterfield games became a bit of an anomaly and a one-off really," Bailey told the Free Press. That's what we've got to make sure today is. It's a poor performance and a poor result but it's nothing more than that; it's one game of football and we need to put it right Saturday.

"it's about getting a positive reaction and going again. We'll be trying to prove a point. We've got unbelievable players, ones not in the squad or even on the bench and it's a great group. It's about making sure we lean on each other and put right the Wigan performance."

Saturday saw Bailey join a select band of Rovers players who have posted a century or more of consecutive league starts. Only six players are above him in that list (which doesn't include play-off games) and he'll surely have one eye on hopefully overtaking Bert Tindill's record of 139 - although he would have to wait until the early stages of the 2026-27 season to beat that tally.

Bailey added: "Obviously it's at 100 now but I'm desperate for 101 against Wimbledon just as I'm desperate to play any other game."