Doncaster Rovers: '˜Finish with a win - and if we end up second we take it on the chin'

Darren Ferguson has instructed his Doncaster Rovers side to finish the season on a high - and take it on the chin if they end up losing out on the League Two title to Plymouth Argyle.
Darren FergusonDarren Ferguson
Darren Ferguson

Rovers, who today face a Hartlepool United team that must win to stand any chance of avoiding relegation to the National League, must better Plymouth’s result at Grimsby to leapfrog the Pilgrims.

Third-placed Portsmouth can still win the league if they beat Cheltenham at home and both Plymouth and Rovers fail to win.

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“It’s going to be a full house and it can be quite a hostile atmosphere,” said Ferguson.

“You’re playing against a team that’s desperately trying to stay in the Football League so you would have to say there’s more pressure on them than there is on us.

“We’ve just got to do our job.

“The message to the players is finish with a win. We end up with 88 points which is a fantastic total, and if you end up getting pipped by a point to Plymouth then you have to congratulate them.

“But put as much pressure on Plymouth as you can.

“If Portsmouth were to score early that would put pressure on Plymouth too. They have to win the game.

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“For us it’s about winning the game and finishing the season off right.

“If we get pipped perhaps we have to learn from why that has happened but no matter what happens on Saturday we’ve done what we needed to do.”