Doncaster Rovers fall again but Danny Schofield keen to accentuate the positives at Gillingham

Barely three weeks ago, Rovers were talking up their chances of making a late push for the League Two play-offs but a terrible run of form has consigned them to a second season in the fourth tier following last year’s relegation.

Schofield has come under increasing fire from the club’s fans, although he was given a major boost on Thursday when owner Terry Bramall pledged to heavily invest in the squad ahead of the 2023-24 season.

“The result is disappointing, yet there are a lot of aspects that I’m really pleased with,” said an upbeat Schofield, sacked earlier in the season after just nine games in charge at Huddersfield Town.

“I tried to be positive with the players at half-time because, aside from the first 10 minutes, the performance was good.

“We adapted the game plan in the week to try and help us be competitive in certain areas and we were unfortunate not to come away with anything.

“We need to keep on giving players the messages that allow them to show off their capabilities.

“We had good moments in the game, we just needed to convert them. We know we’ve got to win games, but we will look to take the positives.”

Gillingham: Morris, Alexander, Ehmer, Masterson (Wright 45), McKenzie, MacDonald (Lapslie 76), Dieng, Williams, O'Brien (Jefferies 76), Nichols (Abrahams 90), Hawkins (Page 90). Unused substitutes: Coleman, Holtam.

Doncaster Rovers: Mitchell, Faulkner, Nelson, Long, Seaman (Brown 66),Rowe (Ravenhill 66), Close, Molyneux, Westbrooke (Hurst 90), Goodman (Agard 66), Barlow.Unused substitutes: T Miller, Degruchy, Bottomley.

Referee: Dean Whitestone (Northamptonshire).