Plenty left in the tank to sprint to title, says Flynn

Successive 1-0 wins over promotion rivals Swindon and Tranmere have seen Rovers strengthen their position at the head of the third tier while all around them appear to be running out of steam.

Doncaster can seal promotion with victories in their next two games, allied with results going their way.

But Brian Flynn, the man who has seamlessly built on the foundations laid by Dean Saunders in the first half of the campaign, wants Doncaster to take other teams out of the equation by sprinting to the finish line.

The 57-year-old was tasked by Doncaster chairman John Ryan when he was appointed until the end of the season to “go and win the title”, and he looks like he will grant the club’s supremo his wish.

“We’ve got plenty left and we’ll finish with a sprint,” said Flynn.

“We’ve still got the freshness. We came into the last 10 games in very good shape. We had some hiccups along the way, MK Dons, etcetera, but we recovered well, which is something we’ve done well all season.

“The last two home performances were proper top-of-the-table playing.

“Swindon and Tranmere didn’t have any shots against us, we kept them at bay for 180 minutes.

“Consecutively, they were the best performances we’ve put in.”

Doncaster have shown a number of attributes associated with champions, not only in the heat of a promotion battle but throughout the whole campaign.

They have been resolute when they needed to be, they have superior fitness – a fact illustrated by the amount of late goals they have scored – and they have bounced back quickly from defeats.

They have also had a knack of grinding out results when perhaps they have not been at their best.

“Grinding doesn’t sound a nice word, but it’s a professional word, and that’s complimentary to us that we have been very professional,” said Flynn.

“We’ve been prepared to be patient. If it doesn’t happen in the first five minutes then we’re confident it will happen in the last five minutes, and that’s been proven a number of times this season.

“We’ve been hard to break down as well. That’s because of the goalkeeper, the central defenders, the defensive midfielder, and, to be fair, Chris Brown as well. He’s a striker but he’s been one of the best defenders at the club in the way he harrasses defenders from the front.”

When Saunders left for Wolves at the end of December, Rovers were second in League One and turned to Flynn to keep things ticking over while they searched for a full-time successor.

Ryan gave him the job until the end of the season, and even now, with the title within touching distance, Flynn still does not have a contract for next season, with his current deal expiring on April 28.

“I’m quite comfortable with that, let’s look at it at that time and see where we are,” he said of the contract situation.

Were he to clinch the title for Rovers, the signing of a new deal would be a mere formality.

It would also be the first League title Flynn has achieved as a manager, something that strengthens his desire for the club to continue their march to the Championship.

“It’s unique for me and something I’m thoroughly enjoying,” he said of the experience.

“I’ve had promotions in the past, but not titles, and I’ve not won promotion to the Championship.

“I’ve won cups before and I was runner-up with Wrexham. So this will be the best of my managerial career, no doubt about it.

“And we have all enjoyed being top of the League. It’s something that if you can enjoy, then the pressures are relieved slightly.

“This group is well balanced and well disciplined, and they know their jobs, so managing them is just a matter of adding one or two little things here and there.

“Some of the changes I’ve made the players haven’t realised what I’ve done, they’re still working it out.

“They will do, because it’s no secret, it’s no magic formula. I’ve given them the licence to thrill going forward for instance, and we’ve shown that.”

The danger for Doncaster over the closing four games could be if this confidence becomes arrogance, but Flynn remains grounded enough to not let such a fate befall his players.

“The key element is to stay calm and enjoy your football where you possibly can because that relieves the pressure,” he said.

“They’re happy, they’ve got a smile on their face, and that tells a thousand stories.

“The closer you get to your goal, people say the harder it becomes. I agree in a way, but it also becomes better because you’re getting closer and closer, and teams are still chasing you.

“We’ve done some chasing this year and chased teams well. We’ve been top for seven weeks, and I’m confident we can stay there.”

Paul Quinn is out while David Syers is unlikely to feature again this season.

Last six games: Doncaster WDWLWW; Carlisle WLDDDW.

Referee: A Woolmer (Northamptonshire).

Last time: Doncaster 1 Carlisle 0; January 8, 2008; League One.