Wycombe boss Mike Dodds worried by ‘warning signs’ seen in Doncaster draw

Wycombe head coach Mike Dodds admitted he saw some “warning signs” of things he did not like from his side as they found themselves second best for much of the game at Doncaster.

The game finished 1-1 after Armando Quitirna came off the bench to equalise for the Chairboys, with Billy Sharp pouncing on a mistake to put Doncaster ahead early in the second half.

Dodds was unhappy to see Rovers play with greater energy and said there must be improvements if his side are to reach the levels he is seeking.

“I love working with this group but there were some warning signs there in terms of personality, character and bravery to take the ball and play with personality,” he said.

“We’ve come up against a team that hasn’t lost since March and momentum in football is a big thing. We’ve taken a point and the subs did well when they came on. The fans stuck with us when they didn’t need to.

“I’m really disappointed with that performance. I can live with us not playing well and losing games of football but I don’t like the fact they had more energy and enthusiasm to land on second balls and keep the tempo for them in the game.

“I’m not questioning their character as individuals but to play at the level we want to, you have to have a bit of arrogance and we didn’t have that.”

Grant McCann believes there is every reason for Doncaster to be optimistic after a positive performance against Wycombe.

McCann said the game provided a marker of the level his side is at after controlling large stretches and admitted only coming away with a point felt like a defeat following Rovers’ strong start since promotion to the third tier.

“We were playing against a team that, over the past couple of seasons, lost in the play-off final and then lost in the semis last year,” he said. “It’s a team that’s spent a lot of money in recruitment and recruited very well with top-end League One players, if not Championship players.

“I knew this game was going to be a barometer of where we are and how we cope against players like this.

“For the whole game, I thought we were very good, particularly in out-of-possession stuff. The energy of the team was good.

“What we didn’t do well with was the last bit, the concentration in the final third, which is something that we’ve been very good at. We were nowhere near where we can be in this one.

“Wycombe have got a unique way of playing and I thought we were really aggressive against it, which was pleasing.”