Doncaster boss Grant McCann was pleased his side held on for their 1-0 win at Port Vale as they continued their impressive start to life back in Sky Bet League One.
Both these sides were promoted last May but it is McCann’s Rovers who have made the better transition to the third tier, with this slender win in Burslem moving them on to 10 points from their first five games.
Owen Bailey’s second-half strike was the difference as winless Vale remain rooted on two points.
“It wasn’t the prettiest and we weren’t at our best, but overall we were probably unlucky not to go in 1-0 up at half-time,” McCann said post-match.”But that’s the beauty of football.
“I was standing here on Tuesday (against Huddersfield) saying the same thing. What’s pleased me today is that we started brightly and had a couple of good chances.
“Then we went under siege a little bit. It was a bit of Port Vale playing well and us not playing well enough.
“We gave them too many free-kicks and invited pressure but we stood strong, regrouped at half-time and ultimately got the goal to win it.”
McCann was far from pleased with his side’s first-half showing, but was glad they turned it around after a rollicking during the break.
“We went long too much and went a little bit safe when we did get it. So it was about reaffirming the message at half-time.
“I enjoyed the last 30 minutes because we defended well and we broke at pace, whereas the end of the first half I didn’t enjoy it. We looked more like us second half, we took the ball and broke with intensity and could have had more goals.
“But there’ll be times, like there was last season, where we’re not at our best and it’s about standing firm, not conceding and winning the game.”
Vale, fresh from the departure of star striker Lorent Tolaj to Plymouth, showed plenty of fight in the first half as they peppered Thimothee Lo-Tutala’s goal.
Jaheim Headley saw a fierce effort tipped over before the Rovers goalkeeper was alert to make a quickfire double save to keep out Mo Faal and then Ben Garrity.
The goalkeeper was helpless just prior to that when Cameron Humphreys’ header came back off the woodwork.
But once they conceded, they showed few signs of getting back into it – something their manager Darren Moore wants them to rectify.
“I’m confident in these group of players,” he said. “I think that it’s going to turn and I’m confident that we will get the results that we need.
“What we have to do is continue and we can’t let the work-rate and energy drop. That’s the bit that is keeping us in games.
“What we need to do now is show that bit of conviction in the opposition’s area and just be a bit more ruthless with our finishing.”
