Doncaster Rovers' control delights Grant McCann as Rovers on course for League Two play-off final

In winning 2-0 at Crewe Alexandra 2-0, Doncaster have certainly not put the tie to bed, but they will come out for the second leg unbeaten in 13 matches - 11 of them won – whereas the Railwaymen a draw and three defeats from their last four.

Despite the contrasting form, Doncaster did not exactly come flying out of the traps but once they got their chances, Luke Molyneux and Harrison Biggins took them, and from there it always felt as though Crewe were at arm's length.

"I thought it was a little bit cagey right up until we scored, I thought we were a little bit sloppy at times at the top end of the pitch, we kept losing the ball and they caused us problems when we did," admitted manager McCann.

"But we scored a really good goal with the one bit of quality we showed in the first half from Hakeeb (Adelakun) and Matty Craig (who combined to set up Molyneux) and in the second half I felt we were in real control. We spoke about the team keeping the ball a bit longer and we had more spells (of pressure).

"We tried to for another goal, it wasn't about managing the game because that's when things can sort of go south for you.

"But in the second half I thought we looked much better."

Biggins, who had hit the crossbar in the first half, swept home a Joe Ironside pull-back just three minutes after the break and although Doncaster were unable to add to their lead, it never felt like they would do anything but win the game.

"It was really good play," said McCann of the second goal. "They had a similar situation in the first half where Richard Wood slipped, when their centre-half (Mickey Demetriou) slipped I was pleased we had the calmness from Joe Ironside to on a tremendous run.

"They were both similar types of goals with cut-backs.

"We knew it was going to be tough coming here. A lot of people can talk about form but it means nothing in the play-offs, you have to be ready for what's coming and Crewe started strongly. We had to weather a wee bit of a storm early on but once the first goal went in, we gained that control."

The home leg, for the right to play the winners of the Crawley Town versus Milton Keynes Dons tie delayed by a waterlogged Braodfield Stadium pitch on Monday, is on Friday. The final is at 1pm on Monday 18.