Doncaster Rovers fell to a 3-1 defeat against Championship side Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup second round on Tuesday night at Club Doncaster Sports Village.
Despite the loss, manager Grant McCann was encouraged by his team's performance against what he called "a really good Championship team." Middlesbrough broke the deadlock in the first half before extending their lead, but Rovers created opportunities to take the lead earlier in the match.
McCann praised his players' efforts across the board. "I thought it was a good performance from us. I thought the shape of the team was good and we had more than enough opportunities to hurt them," he said. "A lot of players have played tonight and there were some really good performances, so there was definitely a lot of positives to take from the game."
Hutchinson Opens Account
Summer signing Isaac Hutchinson, who joined from Bristol Rovers, scored his first goal for Rovers in the closing stages. The midfielder converted from a long pass by Jack Senior.
McCann was delighted for Hutchinson and believes the goal will boost his confidence as he settles into his new club. "It'll do him wonders," McCann said. "Isaac has shown tonight that he's beginning to settle. His energy, his press, his goal — he had other chances too. He has some really good calmness in his play."
The manager noted that Hutchinson has been working hard to reach full fitness since arriving. "He's worked so hard over the past two-and-a-half weeks to get up to speed. He's doing extra sessions, because we probably didn't realise how far away he was fitness-wise, but he's getting there."
McCann concluded: "Isaac's a really good player and it's why we paid a fee to bring him in here. I'm delighted for him and I was really pleased with his performance tonight."
