Doncaster v Nottm Forest: Darren Ferguson is looking for solid Rovers display

So much so that the name of their home ground currently seems somewhat ironic, with the Keepmoat Stadium having been anything but an imposing citadel since the new year was ushered in.

Rovers’ faithful have witnessed just two wins in 12 matches, incorporating eight losses in all competitions, a figure which is enough to make Darren Ferguson wince.

Truth be told, on too many occasions in previous years, home form has been an Achilles heel, regardless of the wearer of the manager’s coat in the dug-out.

And it goes without saying that the deficiency needs to improve drastically if Rovers are to achieve their aims this season.

Tonight’s tie with Nottingham Forest may represent a diversion from the major business of the league, but it is the start of a triple header of games at the Keepmoat Stadium which will not be viewed in isolation.

The merits of a strong performance, married with a cup upset this evening, will be consequential, with the propensity for shocks in this round of the competition considerable – eight second-tier sides exited the competition last year including Leeds, beaten by Rovers on penalties.

The scalp of Forest, likely to field a vastly-changed side with a daunting televised game at Brighton on the horizon on Friday, would not only provide Rovers with further kudos but the ideal platform for back-to-back home games with Crawley Town and Cambridge United, as Ferguson knows full well.

Ferguson, likely to make three or four changes following the late weekend loss at Accrington, with the tie coming too early for midfield anchor Paul Keegan, said: “You would like to take a positive performance and result into Saturday because our home form is going to be really important for many reasons.

“We have got to make sure the fans are not edgy and need that momentum with them. As long as we iron out certain things from Saturday, then we will be fine.

“Of course, you definitely want a positive result on the opening day and we have not got that. But now we have got three home matches on the bounce with a cup match that we are capable of getting through.”

After being the architects of their own downfall in Saturday’s 3-2 setback at Accrington, where Rovers’ near 1,300 contingent made up nearly half of the crowd, the emphasis in training has firmly been on team shape, concentration and discipline to avoid a replication over the next week.

Similar exercises took place on several occasions during Rovers’ tortuous descent in the second half of last season, with Ferguson anxious for the penny to drop finally to ensure that good habits pervade at an early juncture in 2016-17 and not bad ones.

He added: “The key for me is getting a good performance and learning from Saturday and I think if you get those two together, you have got half a chance.

“The performance is important and we must make sure we give ourselves the best chance because we are playing against a higher quality team, no matter what team they play.

“It is a case of making sure we keep a good shape and are patient and disciplined and don’t fly out as individuals. We need to make sure we are solid.

”On Saturday, the concentration was not good enough. We need to make better individual decisions and as a team.”

While tonight’s tie is not quite a ‘free hit’ for Rovers, the pressure in some respects is off with the hosts afforded the underdogs tag with opponents Forest having much more to lose.

It represents the polar opposite from the forthcoming situation in league games at the Keepmoat when Rovers will be under the microscope, something that striker John Marquis acknowledges.

The summer signing, who caught the eye in an impressive first competitive outing in Rovers’ colours, albeit in a losing cause on Saturday, said: “Yes, I think the pressure will be off.

“We are going to be a big scalp in this division. You probably look at us, Portsmouth and Luton and probably everyone else who plays us will probably come and sit in against us and those will be the only (league) games that will probably be open.

“But we know that and it is about character, confidence and belief.

“We need to get the winning mentality back. Hopefully it will start on Tuesday; a win against a strong side would get our confidence back up, and belief.

“I think it won’t take us long to really gel and we will have some big players coming back in the weeks and months to come and we are only going to get stronger in my opinion.”

Last six games: Doncaster WDWLDL, Nottingham Forest DDWDWW.

Referee: A Haines (Tyne & Wear).

Last time: Doncaster 2 Nottingham Forest 2; September 21, 2013; Championship.