GRANT McCANN felt a failure to take their opportunities ensured Doncaster Rovers came away from their trip to Leicester City with nothing to show for their efforts.
John Lundstram and Kamari Doyle secured a 2-1 Leicester win to ease the pressure on under-fire Russell Martin, who knew a defeat to Rovers could have spelled the end of his reign as manager.
Two expert strikes in each half ensured an encouraging performance, albeit not a perfect one, did not go unrewarded as the hosts claimed only their third league win of the campaign although Warren O’Hora’s own goal ensured a nervous finale.
City’s anxiousness as they stuck assiduously – and some would say recklessly – to their policy of trying to play out from the back initially provided Rovers with encouragement.
But, as Martin eventually showed signs he might bend his possession-based principles, they were placed under increasing pressure.
After Emil Riis inexplicably turned the ball over from point-blank range, Lundstram thundered it home with a powerful left-footed finish after O’Hora steered Louis Page’s 44th-minute corner into his path.
Doyle’s effort on the hour was even more eye-catching, as he found the top corner from the edge of the box after collecting Luke Thomas’ pass.
In the 85th minute, Alfie May’s presence saw O’Hora to turn into his own net from Brandon Hanlon’s centre.
But it ultimately left McCann lamenting Rovers’ failure to enter the second period all square.
“To concede when we did is really unacceptable,” he said. “I told the players that because, if we’d have stayed level, this place might have become a bit more edgy. I thought we were the better team for 30 minutes, then got a little bit sloppy and gave them the momentum.
“We started giving the ball away and I wanted to get in at half-time so we could address it. Then they scored from that kind of situation.
“To begin with, I thought we controlled it. We had worked on that game plan, because we were controlling the ball.”
“We just needed to take one of the opportunities that came our way and we didn’t manage to do that. We made it uncomfortable for ourselves during the closing stages of the first-half and that’s what has cost us the game.
“We’ve competed against the team with probably the biggest budget in the division. The goals, from our perspective, were disappointing.”
Leicester City: McCarthy, O'Hora, Souttar, Okoli, Alves (Aluko 89), Lundstram, Page, Thomas, Braybrooke (Chaplin 71), Doyle (Cullen 79), Jakobsen. Unused substitutes: Ravizzoli, Kangasniemi, Howell, De Cordova-Reid.
Doncaster Rovers: Simkin, Grehan (Clifton 85), Byrne, McGrath, Ayinde (Adelakun 69), Gotts, Broadbent (Keane 69), Nixon (McCann 69), Bailey, Hutchinson (Hanlan 58), May. Unused substitutes: Clarke, Robinson.
Referee: Carl Brook (East Sussex).