White Rose history adds fuel to Doncaster Rovers’ play-offs belief

The Addicks had a precious 2-1 lead to take into Friday’s return at The Valley where the London club have been in dominant form of late.

Wembley is beckoning, or so it felt as the Charlton players deservedly took the plaudits from the 3,700-strong travelling army of fans who had made the trip to South Yorkshire.

Doncaster, of course, will have a thing or two to say about that. Matty Blair’s late strike has given Rovers a toehold in a tie that had seemed to be drifting away from manager Grant McCann’s men.

Charlton rightly remain strong favourites to reach the final, but a glance at Yorkshire’s play-offs history makes clear that all is far from lost with a minimum 90 minutes still to play.

Four of the eight clubs from the White Rose county who lost the first leg on home soil bounced back to book a trip to Wembley. Three of those also went on to clinch promotion offering further encouragement to Rovers.

“The goal put us in a healthy position,” said McCann to The Yorkshire Post. “The players know they are right in this tie. I heard a lot of talk (beforehand) about how Doncaster have done well to reach the play-offs. We have, but once at this point you want to go that extra yard.

“I emphasised that to the group during the week and again after the game. It is not about getting plaudits. Can you go and make yourself a hero? Can you be that team who got promoted from the play-offs?

“The last time was 11 years ago. This is a real opportunity for these players to make themselves real legends at this club.”

Bradford City lead the rollcall of sides from the Broad Acres to have overcome losing in front of their own fans to reach the final.

The Bantams achieved the feat twice – first under Chris Kamara in 1996 and then again when Phil Parkinson was at the helm 17 years later.

On both occasions City went up less than three weeks after fearing their hopes had been crushed by losing that first leg.

Barnsley did the same in 2005, overturning a 1-0 defeat to Huddersfield Town at Oakwell courtesy of a stunning second-leg display that saw Andy Ritchie’s men run out convincing 3-1 winners.

It is, however, Leeds United who offer the most hope to McCann’s side ahead of Friday’s return in London.

Like Rovers, Leeds were trailing 2-0 at home in 2008 when Dougie Freedman popped up right at the finish to breathe fresh life into the two-legged tie against Carlisle United.

Sure enough, two goals from Jonny Howson – the second in stoppage time – were then enough to take Gary McAllister’s side to Wembley, where the Elland Road club lost, ironically, to Doncaster.

“We know what needs to be done,” added McCann. “We got ourselves back into this tie with the Matty Blair goal.

“It will be really difficult, but we have to approach the game with the mindset of the second half (on Sunday). Any seed of doubt in your head and you lose.

“What I know is we have to score a goal, Charlton don’t. If it finishes 0-0 they go through. There will be an expectancy among the Charlton faithful.

“They are a good side. We have had four good games against them, but I also believe we have shown that we can match them. We just need to keep believing in ourselves.”

The flipside of these stirring comebacks, of course, is the quartet of clubs who were unable to overcome losing the first leg at home.

Most, though, still gave it a good go with Sheffield United drawing 5-5 at Swindon Town in 2015 after losing 2-1 at Bramall Lane. York City, too, drew the away leg at Fleetwood Town a year earlier after losing to a goal from former hero Blair at Bootham Crescent, while Bradford’s trip to Millwall three years ago also ended all square at 1-1 in what proved to be Parkinson’s final game as manager.

Only Scarborough in 1998 bowed out with a whimper, Torquay United following a 3-1 victory at the McCain Stadium with another convincing win in the Devon return to progress 7-2 on aggregate.

McCann is adamant his side can upset the odds on Friday and points to his side’s 2-0 FA Cup triumph at Charlton back in December as proof.

“We are right in this tie and we know what we have to do,” added the former Northern Ireland international, whose side were the last to win at The Valley. “No game in this league is a daunting prospect especially in the play-offs. We both deserve to be at this stage. It is halfway in the tie and we know what we have to do.

“I have spoken to the group about the Cup tie. We know how to win there, regardless of what team Charlton put out that day. We need to remember that and see if we can go do it again.”