Grant McCann feels the frustration as Doncaster go down at Stockport

Grant McCann bemoaned decisions that went against his Doncaster side as their losing streak extended to five games following a 4-2 loss at Stockport in Sky Bet League One.

Rovers took the lead against the play-off contenders through a fine Luke Molyneux goal but they were pegged back within five minutes after Oliver Norwood’s penalty, a decision McCann thinks was soft.

The hosts then went in front through Kyle Wootton before Owen Bailey restored parity – only for Wootton to notch his second.

An own goal by Jack Senior rubbed salt in the wounds for Rovers, who remain second-bottom.

“I thought my players were really brave tonight,” McCann said. “They’ve come to a really good Stockport team and I asked them to play with no fear. I asked them to be playing the front foot and I thought we did that this evening.

“We get a really good goal from Luke Molyneux and then the referee gives them probably one of the softest penalties you’ll see.

“We had probably one at Blackpool on Boxing Day on Brandon Hanlan that we don’t get, where he gets dragged to the floor. Kyle Wootton grips you, holds you, it looks like he’s being fouled. But for me it’s very, very soft.

“And then later on in the game, Jordan Gibson hits the post and it drops to their goalkeeper. So it’s little things that are not going our way at this moment in time.”

With the January window on the horizon, McCann is hopeful of new recruits to freshen up the group.

He added: “We need a bit of fresh energy in there to help us all. To help us, to help the players, to help the fans. We need a couple of new additions at the top end, which we’re working on.

“But ultimately, we need to be better defensively. But I can see the team fighting and taking responsibility. But we’re standing here with another defeat, which is really disappointing.”

Stockport assistant Clint Hill, standing in for ill manager Dave Challinor, said: “We’re ecstatic.

“We’ve been focusing this week on making that home form back to what it was. We haven’t been meeting expectations at home and there’s still work to do but it’s a good result and nice feeling.

“It was a basketball game. The nature of these games coming thick and fast, there’s going to be mistakes and you have to accept that.

“It’s a massive save by Ben Hinchliffe at 2-2. He’s done that throughout his career here and that’s why he’s so loved.

“In football, you want the good guys to win, and Kyle Wootton is one of the good guys. He’s been superb here and wins us the game.

“Roll on January and we can really kick on now.

“We got third place last season, the natural improvement to that is automatic promotion.

“We’re in the mix, we’ve got players coming back from injury now, we’re heading into January.

“We’re in the fight – bring it on; we’re looking forward to going all guns blazing in 2026.”