Doncaster Rovers 'deserved a point' against Mansfield Town, says disappointed Grant McCann
Doncaster Rovers were sent home from the One Call Stadium empty-handed after their first match of the League One season.
Mansfield Town had plenty to celebrate as they banked their first win of the season but Grant McCann was left feeling his side deserved more from the clash.
Doncaster were looking to spark a comeback similar to this same fixture last season after Stags took the lead through Rhys Oates just before the half hour mark. Rovers did grab an equaliser through Jack Senior and looked to push on from there. However, a missed opportunity in the second half came back to bite them as Mansfield snatched the win through Louis Reed.
“Ultimately we’re just disappointed, I felt we deserved at least a point today,” McCann said after the match. “I don’t think either team created a lot of chances. We created the best chance of the second half and we missed it. Then we concede to a sloppy pull-back to the edge of the box, we don’t get our organisation or our set-up right and it cost us.”
McCann said his side’s response to Oates’ opening goal was ‘brilliant’ and if Brandon Hanlan had scored his missed opportunity, Rovers would have ‘won the game comfortably’.
“Ultimately, we pay the price in this division. If you don't take your chances, you can get punished.”
Stags join seven other teams who picked up wins in their opening League One fixtures. Huddersfield, Stockport, Bradford, Luton, Cambridge, Sheffield Wednesday and Bromley are all off the mark but Leicester City had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Notts County.
Doncaster Rovers join the likes of Barnsley and Plymouth Argyle who will be frustrated with their opening defeats.
“Maybe Nigel will say different, but did any team deserve to win it today? I don't know,” McCann said.