Video: Doncaster Rovers v Burton Albion '“ Grant McCann hoping to make his point at the Keepmoat

The Doncaster Rovers chief is currently able to reflect on a haul of 20 points from Rovers’ last 10 matches, but his adherence to high standards is such that he believes the tally should be more.

Only second-placed Luton Town, with 24 points from their last 10 League One outings, have taken more points so far this winter than Rovers.

While pleased with his side’s total, McCann says that his side must now raise the bar further and aim for another similar haul or better to put the club in the perfect place for the run-in.

The fixture itinerary offers tantalising promise on that count for Rovers, two points behind sixth-placed Peterborough United heading into today’s action.

Four of the club’s next five league matches are at the Keepmoat Stadium before late February and McCann believes that opportunity knocks on that score in the coming weeks.

On Rovers’ 20-point haul, he said: “I am delighted with it and we should have had more, to be honest.

“We were 2-0 up against Wycombe and 2-1 up against Oxford and should have a lot more points than that.

“We were in a good place and know we can do it again, but we know we need to be doing better if we are going to be challenging.

“That is the aim for the next nine or 10 games.”

Burton have proved obdurate opponents during their meetings with Doncaster in the Football League, with Rovers having never beaten them at this level.

The Brewers provided a reality check to McCann’s side by ending their unbeaten start to the league season with a 1-0 win at the Pirelli Stadium in August, with the visitors’ performance drawing criticism from the Rovers chief.

Nigel Clough’s side head into today’s game of the back of a hefty dual concession of 12 goals in their past two competitive outings, with one of those games being a 9-0 Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg dismantling at Manchester City.

But McCann believes that a great deal of perspective needs to be afforded to those events at the Etihad in particular.

McCann said: “I saw Nigel’s comments that they are not far away from being a team in contention for the top six.

“They are similar in terms of their style of play to us and they have energy and goalscorers in their team and experience at the back. They obviously have conceded 12 goals, but one of those games was against Manchester City and they can hit any team for nine or 10. That is how good we are.

“The game at Burton was one where we feel that we underachieved.

“We played a bit into their hands and have the control I would have liked.

“Burton were good on the day and we were not and we know what we have to do this time to put the plan in action.”

Joe Wright is on the mend and could be back in training with Rovers towards the end of next week.