‘They won’t stay there’ - Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough shares his take on Doncaster Rovers
Nigel Clough believes Doncaster Rovers will finish in a much better position than they currently find themselves
Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough believes it is only a matter of time before Doncaster Rovers start climbing the league table.
Rovers head into the weekend bottom of the table after losing three and drawing as many of their opening six League One matches - marking a stark contrast to the way they came out of the traps last season when they picked up a stellar 13 points in the same timeframe.
The first of this season’s defeats notably came in Mansfield on matchday one of the league campaign when goals from Rhys Oates and Louis Reed earned the Stags a 2-1 win and all three points, despite a decent spell from Rovers during the early stages of the second half when Jack Senior found the net with his first league goal for the club.
Mansfield have picked up a further four points from the five games which have followed while Grant McCann’s side have recorded draws against Barnsley, Stevenage and Notts County while losing to Plymouth Argyle and AFC Wimbledon.
Clough ahead of his side’s trip to Burton Albion was asked to assess Mansfield’s general performances and the standard of the league this season when he touched on Doncaster Rovers as an example of just how strong the division is becoming.
He told Mansfield’s club media: “Yeah, we've seen enough in those six games to suggest when everybody settles down hopefully everybody gets fit, I think we can be an improving team on last season, but only the points tally at the end of the season will show that.
“But I think again the league has improved from what we've seen so far. Somebody told me they didn't realise Doncaster were bottom of the league.
“Doncaster are not a bottom of the league team by any means. And they won't stay there either, but again that's the strength of the league.”
Rovers travel to McCann’s former side Peterborough United at the Weston Homes Stadium with the hopes of picking up all three points and generating a feeling of positivity among supporters heading into the international break.