Video: First impressions at Doncaster Rovers could prove key for Anderson

Granted, it remains to be seen who gets the post, with a shortlist being compiled this week.

But whether it is current interim boss Rob Jones or A N Other – who was quite possibly watching developments incognito during Rovers’ 2-2 home draw with Swindon Town on Tuesday night – the young striker hopes he has marked their card in his quest to stay.

The 20-year-old striker, brought in by Jones on a month’s loan from top-flight Crystal Palace, was one of the redeeming features of a disappointing derby showing by Rovers at Sheffield United at the weekend.

Anderson carried on from where he left off on Tuesday night – his home debut – crowning his performance with a splendid second-half strike.

The postponement due to international commitments of the trip to Millwall on October 10 means that Anderson has just three more league matches of his month’s loan to go.

His fervent hope is that the arrangement can be extended and while full-time managerial candidate Jones already knows plenty about Anderson’s wares, a number of other contenders might also know a bit more about him now.

Anderson, already proving a hit with Rovers fans thanks to his looks and style – and drawing comparison with former club cult hero Jason Price – said: “I’d love to stay a bit longer and get more league appearances and hopefully get more goals and push the team up the league.

“I hope any manager who is put forward for the job has been watching the team and see that I’ve been doing well and think that I can be involved with this team.

“It was nice to hear the fans singing and for me to get the standing ovation as well on Tuesday. The fans have been great and, hopefully, I can keep pleasing them.”

Just 20, Anderson has come a long way in the past year, this time last autumn he was playing in the Southern League for Bedfordshire-based Barton Rovers.

Anderson, who has spent time at Watford’s academy, hit 32 goals in 53 appearances before securing a trial at Brentford – with Palace quickly pouncing after he hit a six-minute hat-trick against them.

After blazing a goal trail at one club named Rovers, the frontman is now aiming to make his Football League mark at another, with his promise – if slightly raw – there for all to see against Swindon

Anderson added: “After the game on Saturday, my agent said that a year ago on that Saturday, I was playing for Barton Rovers in the FA Cup.

“To think about that was only last year to February when I got signed, the year has been a bit of a whirlwind.

“The Brentford game against Palace and that week there was a bit of a shock with how fast things are coming. But when I got to Palace, it just felt right and I embraced it.

“When I spoke to (Alan) Pardew about the loan move here and him telling me to come here, again it just felt right.

“Since I have come in, all the lads have been very welcoming. The older pros like Copps (James Coppinger) and Chaps (Richard Chaplow) have told me to do what I do and express myself –so it has been easy to come in and play how I want to play.”

While understandably delighted with his maiden goal in professional football, gloss was taken away for Anderson by Rovers’ late concession in a 2-2 draw, which keeps them in the drop zone.

Anderson added: “The ball dropped to me on the edge of the box and I thought: ‘this is my chance’ and I put it away.’

“But to concede in the last minute, you take it as a loss when it hits you, We needed those (extra) two points as we are in a relegation battle at the minute. it was a bit disheartening.”

That stoppage-time leveller from Jon Obika may have been a blow in the solar plexus for Rovers fans and more so for Jones, whose wait for a first win in temporary charge goes on.

Not that the strong-willed central defender will stay down for long.

And while the last-gasp developments added fuel to the fire of those who are busy decrying his credentials for the top post, Jones is typically defiant and continues to back himself.

Jones, who has taken just two points out a possible 12 so far under his watch, added: “I am a big boy. I have been in the game a long time. I have had highs and lows and am probably the most strong-willed guy you can come across.

“I do get disappointed at times, but I quickly got over it. If you have got your manager disappointed, then your players are disappointed.”