Character and hard work enable Doncaster Rovers to stay in contention

Friday’s 0-0 draw at Sunderland was not a classic, but for a team in the condition Rovers are, it was a job well done away from home.

Rovers clearly need a bit extra in attack after a game where injuries left them so short they had only six of the permitted seven substitutes and left-back Reece James playing – impressively, admittedly – as a winger. Their inability to score in a first half they dominated showed that.

Doncaster are yet to sign anyone in the transfer window, and when manager Darren Moore was asked after the game if he thought that would change this week, there was a long pause before he replied: “We’ll see.”

At least he was more emphatic in saying the club would not have to sell to buy, with midfielder Ben Whiteman still in demand.

But at least Moore’s team is hard to beat, having not conceded in 348 minutes away from home. Given that 12 of their 21 remaining matches are away, that is important.

“It’s massive to show the character we showed on Friday,” said Anderson, who typified it.

“It’s no fluke, we do our work on the training pitch. Clean sheets are our pride and joy but it’s not just the back four.

“Defending starts from the front. We’re a team and we stick together.”

The uncomplicated 6ft 4in centre-back is growing as a player under Moore.

“It helps that the gaffer’s an ex-centre-half and I feel I’ve improved,” said Anderson.

“He tells me to be a good defender. I know it’s changed over the years and you have to play out from the back but you have to be a good defender first and foremost. We work a lot on it.

“Your heading, your tackling and your reading of the play are important.”

So will be adding to the squad.

“We’ll see how we get on in the next few days,” said Moore. “I can’t do anything about the frustrations or the comments.”

Meanwhile Doncaster will now head to Portsmouth on Tuesday March 17 because of the latter’s FA Cup commitments.