Grant McCann's message to Doncaster Rovers centre-backs as he suffers striker blow
After feeling he had to use Owen Bailey at centre-back on Saturday instead of them, Doncaster Rovers manager Grant McCann has challenged Matty Pearson and Sean Grehan to ensure it does not happen again.
McCann loaned Neill Byrne last week to address his side's defensive shortcomings, but Bradford City did not allow him to face them on Saturday in a game they won 1-0.
Specialist central defenders Pearson and Grehan were both available but McCann chose to put the former on the bench and leave the latter out of his squad altogether, pairing Jay McGrath with Bailey.
It was the third time in four games the Doncaster captain has played there and whilst he performed very well, it took their 13-goal top-scorer out of the midfield.
"We missed the threat of Bails arriving in the box,” admitted McCann. “Maybe that would have got us up the pitch a wee bit more but hopefully that's the last we'll see of Bails in the centre-half position.
"We need the others to step up now – Matty Pearson and Sean Grehan, we need to see more from them to make sure I don't do that again. That's my challenge to them.
"Neill will be back for Wycombe. Jay was excellent again on Saturday, he's getting better every time he plays.
"Bails played at centre-half and did everything right in the game. He managed the game well for us in certain moments.
"The goal (a Tyreik Wright volley) was just a sucker punch for us, just a hard one to take, but we'll move on quickly."
Doncaster will be without January signing Frankie Okoronkwo for four weeks after the striker and Jack Senior missed Saturday's game.
"Jack was ill," said McCann. "Frankie's going to be out for about four weeks
"He's felt his left hamstring this time, he felt his right against Wimbledon, his left against Leyton Orient.
"He's probably just come to us on the basis of maybe the last three weeks at Lincoln, wasn't playing, wasn't involved, probably wasn't training as hard as he should really. That's what happens when you're not in the team.
"That's something we try and keep on top of here when players aren't playing. We try and keep them ready, but you've got to be ready as well.
"As a player, you've got to push yourself to get ready. I think the lack of gametime at Lincoln coming to us a little bit under power, was gradually building up and just probably knocked it back a little bit.
"It's frustrating because he gives us a different dimension. I thought Billy (Sharp) led the line brilliantly but Frankie's completely different to Billy and Brandon (Hanlon), so that's frustrating to us."