Doncaster Rovers: Grant McCann coy on play-off points target

Grant McCann’s side travel to Shrewsbury Town this evening hoping to put further daylight between themselves in sixth and seventh-placed Peterborough United.

The average number of points required to reach the League One play-offs over the last ten years is 74.

Rovers currently tally 54 with 14 games remaining, seven at home and seven away.

“We know that,” said McCann, in response to the maths.

“74 [for the play-offs] and 92/93, on average, wins the league.

“We’ve got our own targets in-house, of course.

“We need to make sure we win the next first and foremost, at Shrewsbury. Try our best and make sure we perform.

“Yes, it [74] is not a million miles away,” he added.

“We know we can get to there but we want to get further than that.”

Over the next four weeks Rovers will face three sides currently in the top six (Charlton, Barnsley and Luton), a Blackpool team still harbouring top six hopes themselves, as well as relegation-threatened Shrewsbury and AFC Wimbledon.

“They’re all big games,” said McCann.

“This is another big game.

“And then we worry about the Barnsleys, the Lutons, the Charltons, whatever it may be after that.

“We’ve got some tough games coming up: Shrewsbury, Charlton, Wimbledon. They’re all playing for something.

“It’s a good time to be involved and this is the business end you’re getting to now.

“This is when people start getting excited and every game means something.”

Tonight’s match is one of two games in hand Rovers have on the majority of their promotion rivals.

Victory would not move them up the table but would increase the gap between themselves and Peterborough to five points.