Obvious Achilles heel for Doncaster Rovers as home form begins to stutter

Perspective needed

First things first, there's more than a few fans jumping the gun after this result. But let's put it into context. Rovers are sitting third, in one of the automatic promotion spots, with a third of the campaign elapsed.

That's their one and only aim come May: to get promoted. And to that end they are pretty much on track. But Grant McCann has high standards and as such results like this - when they dominate a game but just cannot turn the screw - means there will always be a healthy dollop of negativity surrounding the inquest.

Goalscoring an obvious Achilles heel

Despite racking up 12 shots, just one of them was on target for Rovers. That was the tap-in that Billy Sharp put away to ensure they came away with a point. Aside from that they just didn't test Jamie Jones in the Salford goal enough. Yes, they struck the woodwork a couple of times but they have to start turning the screw when on top. To start with the likes of Luke Molyneux, Jordan Gibson and Joe Ironside and for it to take 77 minutes before hitting the target is simply not up to scratch, given the demands placed on this team.

McCann admitted as much, when speaking to the Free Press post-match: "It probably sums up the game doesn't it? Credit to Salford because we struggled against them. Most teams we play we create roughly 20 opportunities against, but in the final third today they've frustrated us a bit. But we're better than what we showed. We have to hit the target. Too many players made the wrong choice in moments.

"I thought we started both halves well but we simply didn't take our chances today and we have to be better."

Home form on the wane?

This stalemate means it is now just one win in the last six at home for Rovers. In that sequence there are draws with Salford, Notts County and Crewe and defeats to Bromley and Chesterfield.

After a superb running streak on home soil last season the team continued it with three on the spin at the start of this term. But since then things have gone south. Have teams worked out how to spoil the gameplan? McCann clearly took umbrage when asked post-match whether that was the case: "Not really no. You have to look at each game on merit. People can throw those stats at you but we've only lost one in ten so we're actually in decent form. We've shown we can win here, and we're putting ourselves in areas to score. We're just not taking those chances so we have to work on that."

Rovers now face an extended run of away games, with another three weeks until their next home fixture.

Squad depth dilemma

The fact that there's currently no player in the Cantley Park treatment room only extends the options at McCann's disposal. Most managers would be envious at such a prospect. You only have to look at the extensive list of players not included in the matchday squad, with the likes of Harry Clifton and Ben Close sitting in the stands.

But with another three changes made against Salford, it begs the question over whether Rovers actually have too many options to choose from.

Two of the three changes made by McCann on 70 minutes did combine to score the equaliser and earn their manager's praise, but that only complicates matters when it comes to selecting a starting XI at Carlisle next week.

"I thought Billy was really, really good when he came on," said McCann. "And so was Joe Sbarra. We just wanted to add that little spark and try and cause them a problem.

"Salford changed to their shape so we thought we'd put two strikers against them. Today the bench helped us again, it helped us last week against Notts County. That's really important but it shouldn't take that. The players who are given the (starting) shirts should go and take it and show it."

Good luck trying to guess Rovers' starting XI at Brunton Park - and the bench, come to think of it.