‘I’m frustrated’ - Alfie May on Doncaster Rovers’ start to the season and his desire to push the team up the table

Doncaster Rovers striker Alfie May says he’s frustrated that he’s not scored more goals this season following his loan move from Huddersfield Town.

The 33-year-old scored his first league goal of the season with a well-taken penalty against Plymouth Argyle after failing to score in his first four League One appearances back in Red and White.

Reflecting on the defeat, May said: “Frustration. I think we just spoke about that in the changing room.

“You can't concede three goals and expect to win the game, especially at home. This is our home ground. Just sloppy goals. It’s annoying.”

May’s goal saw Rovers level proceedings after Plymouth’s first-half opener. It also sparked a period of the game where the hosts did look like scoring again before succumbing to goals from Aribim Pepple and substitute Caleb Watts within the space of nine minutes.

Speaking about the feeling of scoring, May said: “It was nice to score, but it doesn't really mean anything now.

“We tried hard, but like I say, the end ball or the final cross or the final pass is just not there at the minute. But we'll work on it. We'll get back onto the training ground and really try and succeed in that final third. Like I say, as a team, we can't give goals away as we did today.”

Speaking about the team’s form in general, May, who is yet to score a league goal from open play, discussed the areas he feels Rovers as a team need to work on.

He said: “It’s the final piece of the jigsaw. The final third. It’s where you win games and putting the ball in the back of the net is the most important part of football.

“That's how you win games and for myself. I'm frustrated that I haven't scored enough goals already. I know we're only five games in, but I want to be scoring a lot of goals and pushing this club up to where it should be.”

May boasts one of the best goal records of any striker in the division over the last five seasons. Across spells with Cheltenham, Charlton, Birmingham City and Huddersfield he scored 89 times in total.

Rovers boss Grant McCann describes May as a very different player to the one the club had first time around when he was brought in from non-league Hythe Town.

“He’s grown into a real leader. He’s definitely more professional, he’s in much better condition,” said McCann in an earlier interview.

And it’s fair to say that May shares that view as well. When asked about how he’s changed as a player between the two spells, the striker said: “I've matured a lot. I try to create a lot more.

“I think when I was here, I probably just ran around and tried to help the team that way. But my game is a little bit different now, trying to drop in and get on the half-turn and slide balls. I like assisting and things like that, but for me, the goals is my bread and butter and I want to score more.”