Brilliant Bailey, Returning stars, Keane impresses: Doncaster Rovers talking points against Sheffield Wednesday

It was derby day delight for Grant McCann and his team after they secured a well deserved 2-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday at the Club Doncaster Sports Village.

Captain Owen Bailey was the star of the show, scoring both goals in the first half to help his team climb the league table and get back to winning ways after losses to Stockport County and Leicester City.

It very much marked Rovers’ best performance and result of the season so far. With that in mind, we take a look at the main talking points to have emerged from the South Yorkshire derby day win.

Brilliant Bailey produces standout display

Bailey, without a goal since a 2-2 draw away at Stevenage in August, was in the right place at the right time to slot home both goals in a victory which Doncaster Rovers’ performance merited.

"I'm pleased for Bails, because he's been unlucky a few times this season with opportunities and goals and stuff like that,” said McCann.

Bailey, who was making his 149th consecutive league start added: “The last two kind of results, in particular the performance on Tuesday, was way quite far away from where we normally can be.

“So I think I think in terms of importance and both to me personally and to the to the rest of the group, I think today is probably right up there with kind of the most important goals.”

Key stars return for replenished Rovers

Jack Senior and Jamie Sterry, hailed by McCann in the pre-match as the best full-back pairing in the league, made their long awaited return to the starting lineup against the Owls.

Senior, who has scored twice this season, was an ever-present in the league until the Peterborough win just before the international break, but had missed the last four fixtures across all competitions.

Meanwhile, Sterry’s layoff was much longer. He started the first two league matches of the season before suffering a hamstring injury which forced him off at half-time during the loss to Middlesbrough.

There absence compounded with injuries to Husband and Nixon left McCann with no options but to play a 3421 formation - something which at times felt very much like putting square pegs in round holes.

Sterry and Senior’s return to the lineup saw Rovers return to a much more familiar 4231 formation and allowed the team to play with a sense of intensity, cohesion and confidence which has been lacking at times.

“I think they showed today what I think of them,” said McCann on the performance of Senior and Sterry.

“I said to everyone during the week, that in my opinion they are two of the best full-backs in the division they showed that today.”

Will Keane impresses in first start

Doncaster Rovers’ newest recruit Will Keane made his first start since arriving on a free transfer in October and by the end of it left many people questioning why he had been without a club for so long.

Keane was excellent against the Owls, winning the vast majority of his aerial duels, holding the ball up superbly well and linking up effectively with his teammates.

He was able to keep Liam Palmer and Liam Cooper occupied throughout the contest and helped create space in behind for Hakeeb Adelakun and Leon Ayinde to exploit.

McCan said: “He got a hold of the ball, he was clever, his feet are good. Brings others into play. He's experienced. Really pleased with his performance.”

Incredibly that was his first start since late-March but if he produces similar displays you wouldn’t be surprised to see him starting a fair few more before the turn of the year.