Doncaster Rovers boss Danny Schofield refusing to concede that club's League Two play-off hopes are over

DONCASTER ROVERS manager Danny Schofield is refusing to concede that his side's League Two play-off prospects are over, despite seeing two points slip away through their fingers in a 1-1 draw at lowly Crawley Town.

Caolan Lavery's maiden goal for Rovers put the visitors in front just before the interval.

But Crawley levelled in the final ten minutes, courtesy of Rafig Khaleel as the Red Devils moved two points clear of second-bottom Hartlepool United with a game in hand.

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Rovers, meanwhile, remain marooned in mid-table and missed out on the chance of moving within six points of the team currently occupying the final play-off spot in Salford City with nine games remaining.

Danny Schofield.
Doncaster Rovers v Stevenage FC.  SkyBet League 1.  Eco-Power Stadium.
25 October 2022.  Picture Bruce RollinsonDanny Schofield.
Doncaster Rovers v Stevenage FC.  SkyBet League 1.  Eco-Power Stadium.
25 October 2022.  Picture Bruce Rollinson
Danny Schofield. Doncaster Rovers v Stevenage FC. SkyBet League 1. Eco-Power Stadium. 25 October 2022. Picture Bruce Rollinson

On whether Rovers outside play-off hopes are over, Schofield, whose side host Northampton Town this weekend, said: "I don't think you can ever say that. As long as it's mathematically possible.

"You have to keep fighting for every point and try and get players back fit and try and build the strength of the squad so you have more players to select from and just keep fighting for the points and we will see what happens come the end of the season.

"Every game is a 'must-win', that's how we see it. We are fighting for points as much as we can. I thought the players did that and they fought and put bodies on the line, blocked and ran for each other

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"It was a hard-fought performance. Our strength was probably how we defended. Collectively, we were really well connected. For the first 25 minutes, we were too deep and tried to release the wingers to be a bit more aggressive to press their centre-backs and I think we did that in the latter part of the first half.

"We fatigued a little bit in the second half, but defended the ball quite well at times. But we conceded a goal late on, which was disappointing."

The main positive for Rovers was the sight of January signing Lavery breaking his scoring duck for Rovers.

Schofield continued: "It was an excellent delivery and a really good time to score that goal and I was really pleased for Caolan Lavery to get that header."It was a great goal, a typical number nine's goal in the way he arrived and glanced the ball into the corner. It was an excellent finish.

"We always want to build on that and get that next goal, unfortunately we didn't."