Doncaster Rovers talking points: Will to win, Jay McGrath moonlighting and discipline problems

Finding a way to win

Plenty about this result and performance mirrored what happened at Morecambe four days prior: A slender win in Lancashire against plucky opponents, whilst finishing the game a man light.

Rovers got the job done to move up to second in the standings and ultimately that is all that matters.

"We need to be better and we need more calmness, be controlled and have more bravery," manager Grant McCann reflected post-match.

"But we had to come here and get three points and back up the win at Morecambe. It's all about winning and focusing on ourselves and what we can control. I'll keep striving to make the group better. We're starting strongly and finishing excellently defensively. But I want us to finish strongly offensively. We need to be braver and calmer going forward, but we'll get there."

McGrath's moonlighting

Jack Senior's suspension and James Maxwell's absence owing to injury meant some thinking outside the box was needed on the left side of Rovers' defence.

Some fans mooted that Harry Clifton could be deployed there or that a switch to a back three was possibly on the menu. In the end, Rovers kept the same formation with four at the back as Jay McGrath returned to the starting XI after three games out. And it will have come as a surprise to many that he took up the left-back slot.

"Jay did fine," McCann told the Free Press when asked about that particular decision. "He over-covered at times where he came in and still thought he was a centre-half. But Jay's played left-back before, quite a bit when he was at Coventry under-21s so we had no qualms with him.

"I wasn't asking him to do what Jamie Sterry did. It was just to allow Jordan Gibson to go one-v-one and Jamie could then go higher the other side which might make us lop-sided but Jay was fine. It was a plus for us to have him back because he's such a good character."

Clifton praise

Harry Clifton has certainly took the bull by the horns since Rovers' defeat to hometown club Grimsby last week.

He played his part at Morecambe with a diligent display and then contributed to both goals in this win against Accrington. A tidy, close-range finish opened the scoring against John Doolan's side before his centre was turned into his own net by Benn Ward.

Speaking to the Free Press on the eve of this game, Clifton admitted he need a pick-me-up after the setback against the Mariners. And his manager believes he has certainly delivered and contributed to back-to-back wins on the road.

"He's a great kid, Harry, and is so professional at everything he does," he said. "I'm pleased for him because he'd have felt particularly low against Grimsby. Harry was one we probably needed to pick up given the connections. We did that and his response this week, with the two performances, has been outstanding."

Discipline issues rear their head again

For the second game running, Rovers ended a game a man light. After Jack Senior's dismissal against Morecambe, Patrick Kelly was the fall guy this time.

The incident involving Senior sparked plenty of debate among the fanbase but ultimately the club chose not to appeal it and he missed this latest victory as a result (plus the next two games).

Kelly, given his marching orders for a full-blooded tackle late on, could befall the same fate if the club chooses not to appeal the decision made by rookie referee Stuart Morland. Regardless of what happens on that front, Rovers need to brush up on their discipline. They've now been given seven red cards - more than any other side in the top four divisions.

"We spoke during the week and the last two reds have both been tackles, so it's a fine balance, isn't it?" McCann reflected. "What do we do, tell the players not to tackle? Of course we don't.

"PK went to win the ball. Whether he's gone over the ball, I don't know. Maybe that's why he sent him off. But I'll watch it back and get a better understanding of it."