No wheels have come off, says Doncaster Rovers’ manager Grant McCann

Rovers occupy the final League One play-off berth heading into tomorrow’s game with promotion rivals Charlton Athletic, but are just two points clear of Peterborough United, who are seventh.

McCann’s side head into the game following a draw and a loss in mixed showings at Scunthorpe United and Shrewsbury Town, which has prompted some talk that the club’s bubble is in danger of bursting amid the fallout of Rovers’ recent FA Cup last-16 exit to Crystal Palace.

The Rovers’ chief has given short shrift to any such notion, with a confident display in a winning cause against Charlton likely to answer any such charge.

McCann, whose side have a game in hand on his former club Posh, said: “We are still in the process of proving a lot of people wrong.

“A lot of people wrote us off at the start of the year. Everyone had us down as 18th, 19th or 20th – even in relegation and as a team who would struggle with relegation.

“We have still got that burning inside us. We lost against Shrewsbury and maybe one or two doubters have pumped up again and are saying, ‘Have the wheels come off at Doncaster?’

“We have lost four games in 21. So no wheels have come off here. We are firmly focused on what we have got to do. Our number one aim is to get promoted and that has not changed. We are not scared of saying what we want to try and achieve.”

McCann is equally adamant that the demands of a long, hard season are not catching up with his side either.

He added: “There is no time for fatigue and anyone feeling sorry for themselves. We are at the business end of the season and must make sure everyone is good and ready to go and ready to roll their sleeves up and work hard and fight and do what we have set out to achieve.

“We have a very fit group of players and I think we have showed that over the season in terms of how we have played and the goals we have scored in the second half of games.”

Rovers will assess key midfielder Herbie Kane today, with the loanee rated at “50-50” with a groin issue having forced him to miss the midweek defeat at Shrewsbury. Defender Tom Anderson will definitely sit out tomorrow’s match due to protocol regarding a concussion injury, which is not serious.