Grant McCann: Wigan defeat was a reality check for Doncaster

Doncaster boss Grant McCann felt his side were given “a reality check” after being comprehensively beaten 3-0 at Wigan in League One.

The visitors had arrived at the Brick Community Stadium in second place in the table, but two goals in the first 14 minutes from Dara Costelloe and Matt Smith set mid-table Wigan on their way.

Billy Sharp headed wide at the beginning of the second half for Rovers, but the game was put to bed within five minutes of the restart when Fraser Murray cut in and found the net from the edge of the area.

“I thought we were well beaten,” acknowledged McCann. “Wigan were better than us today in every single position and every single department.

“I’m not going to stand here and hide behind mistakes…they were just better than us. It’s as simple as that.

“We were nowhere near where I wanted us to be, and they won more duels, they were more aggressive than us, their intensity was better.

“We rested a lot in possession, which really annoyed me, and we didn’t show any intensity to go forward with any real purpose.

“I thought we got what we deserved, and I’m not saying anything different to you guys that I said to my players.

“I’m hoping it’s going to act as a reality check. Because when you’re not anywhere near the levels you can be, you’re not picking up second balls, you’re not aggressive, you’re not intense, this is what happens.

“I just didn’t sense a way back into the game at half-time, we were so flat.

“I spoke to the players at half-time…I’ve been with this group for a while, and I couldn’t see that fire in their eyes that they could get back into the game.

“And ultimately the third goal rubber stamped it. We left Murray, one of the best players in the division in his position, to come inside, and he scores from it.”

Indeed, only good goalkeeping from Thimothee Lo-Tutala prevented a far more emphatic scoreline.

“I thought we were excellent, and there’s a bit of me that’s disappointed we didn’t go on to get four or five,” said Wigan boss Ryan Lowe.

“But again you have to show the opposition respect, they put bodies on the line and the goalkeeper made some good saves.

“For us to get three good goals, three points and a clean sheet, it’s obviously really pleasing for us.

“We’ve said that we want to make the Brick Community Stadium a hard place for teams to come.

“We don’t want teams coming thinking it’s going to be easy, we want teams coming knowing it’s going to be tough.

“But when we’ve performed to the levels we’ve performed to lately – whether that’s Stockport, Lincoln – we’ll be a match for anyone.

“A lot of people told me this week it was going to be a tough game, and we knew it would be a tough game.

“But we knew it was going to be a tough game for Doncaster as well, and I’m sure Grant McCann will show us that respect in his press conference.”