ON a night when Doncaster Rovers moved eight points clear of the relegation zone, Grant McCann was asked by The Yorkshire Post to harken back to mid-November.

McCann's side lost at Lincoln City on November 15, extending their winless League One sequence to an alarming nine matches - and were hovering dangerously above the bottom four.

Given all of the above, Rovers' sell-out 1,693-strong travelling contingent at Sincil Bank were entitled to be a bit nonplussed and irritable.

Instead, they weren't. They continued to sing McCann's intermittently and with gusto.

Doncaster Rovers' Jamie Sterry is congratulated by his team-mates after his shot is turned into his own net by Port Vale defender Elijah Campbell. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

placeholder image — Doncaster Rovers' Jamie Sterry is congratulated by his team-mates after his shot is turned into his own net by Port Vale defender Elijah Campbell. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

Of course, McCann had credit in the bank following the previous season. But even so, patience from modern-day fans is a rare commodity these days, especially when a side goes two-and-a-half months without a league win.

Rovers followers had McCann's back and post-Christmas events have justified that faith.

McCann, whose side moved up to 15th spot after Tuesday night's 1-0 home victory over Port Vale at the Eco-Power Stadium, said: "I think they're quite a clever sort of fanbase, our fans.

"I think they know that we're back in League One for the first time in four or five years.

Doncaster Rovers manager Grant McCann makes his point in Tuesday's win over Port Vale. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

"As I always say, it's not where you are at Christmas time, it's where you are after 46 games and we're sitting level with the 12th-placed team in the table and there's still more to come from the group.

"There are still a lot more points to play for to finish the season.

"We'll sit down and judge whether it's been successful (then), what we need next year, how we get better and how we push on again."

On consistent backing from the Rovers faithful - and a degree of stoicism during some trying times - he continued: "It's brilliant. We've worked hard to create that, but I know it can quickly diminish.

"I know football's such a fickle industry, but we want to try and keep it like that for as long as I'm here, really. I love having the fans behind us and supporting us and I didn't expect over 7,000 (against Vale).

"Given the (weather) night it was as well. They came out and supported us there in a game where we're playing against the bottom of the league.

"So hopefully, they're here on Good Friday for us and will help us against Mansfield again and the Exeter game as well which is a long way (on Easter Monday)."

McCann called for one 'last push' from his players in their eighth game in a strength-sapping 24-day period and he got that in spades.

Rovers belied the rain-hit and windy conditions to produce some crisp, intricate attacking football in the first period against Vale - and were full value for the interval lead given to them when Jamie Sterry's hooked shot deflected in off visiting defender Elijah Campbell.

On the resumption, the action was rather more scrappy, but Rovers maintained their iron-clad resolve of late to register a third successive league clean sheet for the first time in almost two years and extend their unbeaten sequence to five matches.

It was the sort of performance that makes managers sleep relatively soundly at night.

At the back, Matty Pearson and Neill Byrne kept the back door shut once again, while there was threat and hunger on the flanks in Hakeeb Adelakun and Jordan Gibson and intent from Elliot Lee and another object lesson in how to lead the line from Brandon Hanlan.

Plenty of contributions also came from elsewhere.

Those in red and white certainly deserved their rest ahead of starting preparations for the Easter programme at the start of next week.

McCann added: "One hundred per cent, they will be ready.

"But they can definitely go and forget about football for three or four days (after Wednesday) and just get their heads back in the game when they come in next week and we'll be ready for the Easter period.

"I thought we played some good stuff in the first half (against Vale). It probably could have been more than 1-0 up. I thought some of the play in the combination play was good but we just didn't shoot enough.

"In the second half, we dried up, but we didn't need the score, we just needed to defend well like we did."

While much was made of Rovers reaching the 'magic' 50-point mark for the campaign, generally perceived as the precursor to clinching safety - McCann's side could probably do with one other to be on the safe side - the Doncaster manager was more interested in another table.

Speaking to the media after the game, he said: "You know the 22-game table I talked to you about (from mid-January), we're third in that now.

"It just shows you how big of a shift it is. The players have proved it since I set them that target. The focus has been on that, it really has.

"You keep talking about the 50 points and this and that and the other, but I said to the players if you can finish as high as we can on that (22-game) table, then who knows where we'll be."