Doncaster Rovers: Focused Alfie May doesn't feel pressure to impress

The striker has netted 11 goals this season – the second most in the squad – but has started only six league games.

With Tyler Smith and Kieran Sadlier arriving at the run of the year, May’s competition for starts only increased with John Marquis. Mallik Wilks and James Coppinger already to contend with.

With six viable, credible strikers contesting six places, the pressure is on to perform whenever a chance is given.

But May says focusing on pressure would be disastrous.

“The gaffer would never put any pressure on you before you go on,” he told the Free Press. “He says go out and try to change the game.

“If you're losing or winning you want to be that person to go on and get a goal or change the game.

“You don’t want t put too much pressure on yourself, you just want to get out and try to get on the scoresheet.

“You want to get on and score – that is the only thing going through my mind.”

To May’s credit, he has performed well when starting for the club’s U23 side throughout the season.

And he says his performances for the second string have helped build his confidence for when he has an opportunity at first team level.

“If there is an U23 game that I’m playing in, I treat it like a first team game,” he said.

“Every game is the same. The more goals I get, the more confident I am in front of goal. This year it's shown I think.”

May could be presented another chance when Rovers host Crystal Palace in the FA Cup on Sunday.

Playing against Premier League opposition would represent another major step on his incredible journey from non-league.

But he insists no one will be overawed by the occasion.

“It’s a big dream but it is a game where we’re not going in thinking Crystal Palace are going to beat us,” he said. “We’re going to give a big fight and hopefully get through to the next round of the cup.

“We're not sitting back. We're going to attack.”