Doncaster Rovers boss Grant McCann urges players to display dark arts after 'unacceptable' moment against Cardiff City
DONCASTER ROVERS manager Grant McCann called on his players to start showing their streetwise side after a lack of gamesmanship cost them in Saturday’s heavy home setback to leaders Cardiff City.
The game-breaking moment arrived seconds into the second half, when centre-half Dylan Lawlor powered forward from his own half before scoring a fabulous virtuoso goal to make it 2-0 to the visitors.
While the strike has gone viral on social media, McCann was less than enamoured with his side’s defending and failure to stop Lawlor, by fair means or foul.
McCann, whose side are three points above the team currently occupying the final relegation place in Leyton Orient, said: "I said to the players after the game: ‘look, from my point of view, that's unacceptable’.
"We've done that a couple of times here. I think it might have been Peterborough who scored a goal here against us, but we never took the foul in the top end of the pitch.
"And we can't go back to that. We need to make sure we take professional fouls.
"If you can't win the ball, can you take a professional foul? Nine times out of 10, you aren’t going to get booked on your own in your attacking third; you will if a player gets into our attacking third. It was frustrating that."
On his side’s comprehensive loss, he added: "For the next couple of days, I'll be just trying to cheer myself up, to be honest with you, because I'm just really disappointed with that and also really disappointed with myself."
McCann allayed fears regarding star winger Luke Molyneux, who was pictured hobbling late on in Saturday’s game, his 200th appearance for the club.
Frankie Okoronkwo was not involved in the squad, despite being on the mend following a hamstring issue.
The Rovers chief added: "He (Molyneux) is okay, he's just got a kick.
"He's always getting little kicks like that – but Luke's fine, he's robust.”
And on Okoronkwo, he said: “We'll see how he is, Tuesday might be too soon for him as well, he just needs to build up a bit of tolerance.
"What we don't want is to miss him for a longer period of time, we need to make sure he's right when he gets back.”
Rovers are back in league action next weekend when they make the long trip to Plymouth Argyle.
McCann’s side have eight matches to navigate in a hectic March, with five being at home.