Grant McCann on gambling against Harrogate Town, and injury blow for Doncaster Rovers

Jordan Gibson made a goal for Harry Clifton which ought not to have beaten James Belshaw.

The 86th-minute strike was all that separated Doncaster from a team they had never previously beaten in league football. It lifted them to third in League Two after more bad news on Richard Wood's injury-plagued season.

Gibson and Clifton were two of the four attackers McCann used from the bench in the final 25 minutes, but his assistant, Cliff Byrne, dissuaded him from going more positive sooner.

"Me and Cliff had – not a disagreement but a little bit of banter,” revealed McCann, “I wanted to gamble a wee bit earlier.

"It was a tough game. We're really pleased with the three points.

"Three games spring to mind where we didn't get the win and we played really well – Cheltenham, Bromley and Notts County.

"We're at the business end of the season now so the three points is all that matters."

Weaver felt sorry for his players, who created the better chances from less of the ball.

"We just allowed them to get the ball and come straight back at us in the first half without creating much," he reflected.

"We looked the stronger team at the start of the second half and the longer it goes on, you think it's probably going to be a mistake that separates the teams.

"I'm disappointed for the players, really, because I thought we were looking good for a point.”

Wood, who fractured his ankle in August, was sent for a third operation on Friday. McCann is not ruling out another signing as a result, but downplayed the idea.

"He'll probably miss the next couple of weeks of training,” he said. “I feel like we're covered anyway."