Grimsby v Doncaster Rovers: Recent blip reinforced our belief, says Grant McCann

That they did so quickly by beating fellow promotion hopefuls Barrow on Tuesday night, emphasised McCann’s point.

“Just because you lose one game or two games, you don’t throw the baby out with the bath water, you just get back onto the training ground and continue to work on your style of play and your identity,” said McCann.

“If anything you actually go deeper into it. You don’t rip everything up because you’ve lost a couple of games, you actually work harder.

“The players are all bought into what we’re trying to do here and it was pleasing to see it come to fruition on Tuesday.

“It was important to bounce back. It’s very easy in this division to lose two, three games on the spin if you’re not right and haven’t got your preparation right.

“It happened to us a couple of times at the start of last season so it was important to bounce back, important to get our energy into the team.”

If they beat Grimsby Town at Blundell Park this lunchtime, Rovers could go back level on points with the League Two leaders before the afternoon kick-offs, which further supports the theory of not panicking over a three-game winless run.

Not that McCann will be dangling the prospect of top spot in front of his players before today’s game at their neighbours down the M180.

“We’re just focused on the game, I’m not focused on anything more than the match and trying to perform well,” said McCann. “If I start mentioning stuff like that to the players I don’t think it’s the right way to go about things.

“Let’s make sure we get the game plan right, in and out of possession, and hopefully that gives us the best opportunity. David (Artell) has Grimsby playing well.”

Rovers could welcome back defender James Maxwell and midfielder Zain Westbrooke but Tom Anderson is banned.