Grant McCann unimpressed with Doncaster’s display at Charlton despite victory

Posted Sunday, December 02, 2018 by PA

Doncaster manager Grant McCann was far from impressed despite seeing his side progress to the third round of the FA Cup with a 2-0 victory at Charlton.

Both teams are battling it out for a place in the League One play-offs and it was the Addicks who won the same fixture just four weeks ago by the same scoreline at The Valley.

Opposite number Lee Bowyer made nine changes for the second-round clash, a decision which ultimately proved costly as Mark Marshall’s 67th-minute own goal and John Marquis’ decisive header 10 minutes later helped an almost full-strength Rovers side progress in the competition.

But even though it was the Yorkshire outfit that could be on course for a glamour tie at a Premier League team, Doncaster boss McCann was not in party mood at the final whistle.

“I didn’t think we were at our usual standards but we won the game and are in the next round in the hat. That was the most important thing today,” McCann said.

“With the atmosphere in the stadium it was almost like a bit of a friendly game in the first half. It was dead from both teams. There was just no real tempo in the game and I don’t know whether it was a mindset thing, whether we knew they had made a lot of changes.

“I said to our players the boys that had come into the Charlton team would want to impress their manager today, so we knew it would be difficult.

“But I didn’t think we had that spark about us today, that energy or that aggression that we’ve shown most of the season.

“Even at 2-0 up Charlton still had opportunities to score a goal, which is disappointing and frustrating for us because we should be managing the game better then.

“We lacked a spark. We were a bit sloppy and loose in possession at times. Simple passes were going astray at times, which is not like us.

“We had more energy about us in the second half so the way I take it is we are in the next round. Let us see who we get.”

Bowyer’s decision to ring the changes attracted plenty of online criticism from disappointed Charlton fans, who stayed away in droves knowing the likelihood of a weakened team was on the cards.

But the Addicks boss was unapologetic, claiming it was too risky to potentially lose even more senior players to injury with some big games coming up in League One.

“Taking into account we made nine changes to Tuesday’s side, I think the lads did OK. They handled it well,” Bowyer explained.

“Krystian Bielik was supposed to start today but him and Karlan Grant both walked in yesterday from training with tight hamstrings. I can’t have them getting injured.

“Yes, I made a lot of changes but I would be stupid if I didn’t because if I’d have lost Krystian and Karlan then I’ve got to go to Portsmouth and Blackpool in the next two games without those two involved in my squad. I would have been stupid to risk them out there today. Stupid.”

“Look at the bigger picture. The most important thing is promotion. We aren’t going to win the FA Cup. Be realists.

“Are we going to win it? No, we are not.

“Would it be nice to have a run? Yes, it would but if it is going to sacrifice me maybe losing two, three or four important players, why am I going to do that?

“I’m not going to do that. There is too much at stake.”