Tom Anderson defends Doncaster Rovers on anniversary underlining team’s decline

Despite dominating the game for large spells Rovers slipped to their third loss on the bounce after yesterday’s visitors scored with their only effort on target in the 88th minute.

The home side managed 15 efforts on goal but couldn’t break down the division’s worst defence as debutant goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk enjoyed a relatively comfortable afternoon.

Anderson said: “We had a lot of the ball, sometimes in the last third maybe we didn’t create enough but we certainly didn’t deserve to lose.

"I never felt under any pressure at any time in the game.”

Keith Curle’s Hartlepool rarely threatened going forward but Dan Dodds’ fine finish following a counter attack condemned Doncaster to another defeat.

Anderson, now in his sixth season at the Eco-Power Stadium, said: “Only we can get ourselves out of this.

"The staff and the management can only give us so much, which they are doing. It’s down to us as players to take some responsibility.”

Rovers made no secret of their aim to return to League One at the first time of asking following last season’s relegation.

But with nearly two thirds of the campaign gone they are fifteenth in League Two and five points off the final play-off spot.

It is almost two years to the day they beat Oxford United 3-2 to seal their fifth win on the bounce in the third tier and move within goal difference of a place in the automatic promotion spots.

Yesterday’s defeat means the class of 22/23 has now lost more games than they have won in the league.

Anderson, who was a key part of the Doncaster’s success in League One, said: “That’s all in the past. This is football – look at Liverpool, look at Chelsea. Teams can’t always fly high.

"It’s a very tough industry. It was a very tough time with Covid but we have got a good group of lads here and we know what we can do.

“We are showing it in performances, but we need to turn these performances into results.

"We get forward well, we play some good football. Sometimes in the final third we just lack that killer instinct, not just the strikers and forwards.”