Grant McCann sending Doncaster Rovers out to beat Crewe Alexandra, not simply get through to Wembley League Two play-off final
But manager Grant McCann will be telling his players to go for the win in front of a sold-out Eco-Power Stadium on Friday.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdDoncaster go into the second leg of their League Two play-off semi-final with a 2-0 lead after goals from Luke Molyneux and Harrison Biggins at Crewe Alexandra's Gresty Road on Monday.
It could be an awkward advantage if Doncaster overthink it, so McCann has a very simple message for his players.
"We'll just try and be positive, that's all we've been preaching to the players – positivity, calmness and trying to be in control," said the former Northern Ireland international. "Hopefully we'll get the same on Friday night.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad"It's going to be chockablock so hopefully our fans can enjoy the game and we can give them something to shout about.
"We'll manage the game by going to win it."
The last season of McCann's first spell as Rovers manager also saw them reach the play-offs, although Charlton Athletic beat them in a penalty shoot-out in the League One semi-finals.
It is 16 years since they won a play-off final, again in League One, when a James Hayter goal famously saw off Leeds United at Wembley. They also won the 2003 Conference final with Francis Tiereney’s golden goal at Stoke’s Britannia Stadium.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdDoncaster are unbeaten in their last 13 matches, winning 10 of them, and the 1-0 win at home to Wrexham is the only game in that sequence where at least one of their front three of Molyneux, Joe Ironside and Hakeeb Adelukan have not found the net.
The way they swapped positions at Gresty Road, where Ironside created midfielder Biggins’ goal from the right, showed the good understanding the trio have.
"We work on it every single day relentlessly – our shape, our structure and our style of play but within that there's always a freedom for players to express themselves, particularly at the top end of the pitch and I think we're seeing that,” said McCann.
This year’s final is on May 19.
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.