Doncaster Rovers find home comforts again to give themselves timely Christmas lift

McCann's men posted a first victory on home soil in almost three months as they returned to the automatic promotion spots in the League Two table.

A first-half header from Joseph Olowu was added to by second-half strikes from Patrick Kelly and substitute Kyle Hurst.

Tranmere, who had seen Tom Davies sent off for two yellow cards early in the second half, notched the scantest of consolations late on when Sol Solomon pounced on a Rovers error.

The win is the first three-point haul at home for Rovers since beating Barrow way back on October 1.

"It takes a bit of a monkey off our back here doesn't it?" said McCann, whose team head to leaders Walsall on Boxing Day for a mouth-watering encounter.

"I'm really pleased and I know I keep harping on about it but our form from February onwards here (at home) has been really strong.

"We've drawn a couple and lost a couple but we love and enjoy playing here in front of our fans. It was pleasing today because it felt like a Doncaster Rovers kind of performance, whereby every time we went forward we were going to create a chance.

"We were good on the second phases and sustaining attacks. That's the way we want to play and the way that we want to attack every game.

"As I say, it was a good performance. It was a bit edgy at the start but then I thought that we grew into the game and I was pleased with some of the forward play.

"We could have had more than three goals to be honest. They put loads of blocks in, their goalkeeper made saves and we hit the post twice but overall the only gripe today is that we concede the goal at the end."

It was an edgy start for the South Yorkshire side on what was a blustery afternoon at the Eco-Power Stadium in the lunchtime kick-off.

A few half-chances came and went before Olowu settled nerves with his well-placed header after a knock-down from fellow centre-half Jay McGrath.

The contest then seemed to swing at the start of the second half when Davies was shown a second yellow after a foul on Billy Sharp just outside the area.

Shortly after Kelly, on loan from West Ham, applied a fine finish to make it 2-0 before substitute Hurst added gloss with a nice strike of his own.

The only blot on the hosts' copybook came when Solomon dashed hopes of a clean sheet with a finish from a tight angle.

McCann was particularly happy with Kelly's man-of-the-match showing.

"His finish was great but I was screaming at him to square it for Bails (Owen Bailey) for a tap-in!," McCann said tongue-in-cheek.

"But he puts it in the net and you can't grumble. I thought it was a perfect game for him today. Over the last few weeks, probably since the Kettering game the weather has turned and we've played in a different way.

"The last few games I didn't feel would really suit him. It was a good test for him today in and around experienced operators.

"They're experienced hard-nuts. I think (Sam) Finley gave him one before half-time – welcome to League Two!

"You're not going to get everything you're own way. He was upset at half-time but we said to him just let your football do the talking, which he did."

Doncaster Rovers: Sharman-Lowe, Emmanuel, Olowu, McGrath, Fleming (Maxwell 81), Bailey, Kelly (Sbarra 81), Molyneux, Broadbent (Close 82), Gibson (Hurst 73), Sharp (Ironside 73). Unused substitutes: Lawlor, Anderson.

Tranmere Rovers: McGee, O'Connor, Davies, Turnbull, Wood (Norman 76), Finley (Solomon 76), Merrie, Saunders (Hawkes 82), Jennings, Patrick (Drysdale 56), Dennis (Davison 76). Unused substitutes: Murphy, Bradshaw.

Referee: Alex Chilowicz (USA).