Doncaster Rovers striker gives honest assessment after Crawley Town draw

But the well-travelled striker admitted the team must improve at the top end of the pitch.

Danny Schofield's preference to play with one striker means Doncaster's forwards often end up ploughing a lonely furrow.

Chances to score have been rare and the team has registered just two shots on target in their last two games, although both have ended up in the back of the net.

Lavery has cut a frustrated figure in his 11 games for Rovers – seven of them from the bench – since joining in January but opened his account for the club in last night's 1-1 draw against Crawley.

The 30-year-old said: "Playing football is hard work. I have never had an easy game of football in my life.

"It’s a style of play we are all getting used to that the lads have executed really well at times.

“When it goes well, it goes really well.

"But when we aren’t all on the same page that’s down to us (players) because we get drilled every day, we have lots of meetings and they (staff) give us all the information, so when it’s not going right it’s usually our fault."

Tuesday’s draw left Doncaster eight points of League Two’s play-off places with nine games to go.

An immediate return to League One had been their aim for this season but another year in the fourth tier is now looking more likely.

Asked what needs to improve on the pitch to boost the team's fortunes, Lavery said: “Everything.

"We need to score more goals, we need to stop chances against us, we need to be cleaner on the ball. Everything.”

Lavery had been in the form of his life at National League side Scunthorpe earlier this season.

The former Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham man scored nine goals in 19 games and seven in the eight games before he signed for Doncaster on an 18-month deal.

But the goals had dried up until his well-taken header in first-half injury time at the Broadfield Stadium.

“I don’t think I’ve ever gone that long without scoring before,” said Lavery, who scored goals in the Championship and League One earlier in his career.

"I’m disappointed it’s taken that long, but I’ll remain positive – like I always have – and I think I can score more before the end of the season.”

Lavery paused to consider his words when asked to assess his time at Doncaster to date, before telling The Free Press: "I’ve enjoyed it. It’s been difficult at times being on the bench.

"Coming in, I felt like I was on a good run of form and playing well and scoring goals.

"Coming to a new team, you can’t expect to start from the get-go. But I have bided my time and worked hard in training and got a few starts here and there.

"It’s all been positive, I have loved it every day. The training has been good, the lads have been great. We are just looking for a positive end to the season.”