Grant McCann bemoans Doncaster Rovers defending in Plymouth loss and questions officiating

Rovers led through a wonder strike by Elliot Lee - described as "brilliant" by his manager - but surrendered the lead just before half-time when Bim Pepple poked home after slack defending from the visitors. The hosts then had a golden chance to make it 2-1 when Owen Bailey's outstretched arm conceded a penalty but Zander Clark got down well to push away a tame Ronan Curtis spot-kick. The reprieve didn't last long though, as Argyle did indeed take the lead. Former Rovers loanee Herbie Kane saw a free-kick sail straight through to the net and that proved to be the winner as Rovers lost three straight games.

"To come away and play as well as we did and not to win the game or even take a point is frustrating because it's probably the biggest team I've picked all season and we've conceded from a set-play," McCann said. "The first goal, right on the stroke of half-time, has obviously given them a bit of momentum. We just switch off. It was a bad time for us to concede. We then started okay in the second half, but gave away a penalty which, for me, is not a penalty. I don't know what Owen (Bailey) is meant to do with his hands. His hands are by his side and the distance is short. We're always told by the referees if your hands are by your side and the distance is short then it's not a penalty.

"Zander did well to save it and then to concede off just a free-kick straight in is really frustrating for us. I need to look back at it. It looks like two of the line drops, two of the line stay and that leaves a few of their players free in the middle of the box. He misses it and it ends up going in the far corner.

"A free-kick should not be going straight in from our point of view. So we have to look at it."

McCann also criticised the performance of referee Stephen Parkinson. He was unhappy one first half incident that saw Joe Edwards get just a yellow card for a poor tackle on Harry Clifton.

"It's a red card," McCann added. "If you watch it back, Edwards has taken him on the knee. The referee's missed a blatant elbow on Jack Senior where he's busted his nose open. He's missed a lot for us really and I thought the referee was awful all game, to be honest with you. He's telling my players to hurry up every throw-in and that was literally 10-15 minutes into the game. It's not like we're trying to waste time.

"There was that, and then the penalty which is not a penalty. He (referee) was flipping dreadful all day."