Doncaster Rovers: Darren Ferguson praises players after club moves to within one win of promotion with Grimsby demolition job

Darren Ferguson declared Doncaster Rovers '˜nearly there' in their quest for an immediate return to League One.
Darren Ferguson celebrates at the end of the gameDarren Ferguson celebrates at the end of the game
Darren Ferguson celebrates at the end of the game

Rovers thrashed Grimsby Town 5-1 on Saturday to move within one win of securing promotion.

“We’ve done our bit and you’d have to say we’ve given ourselves an outstanding chance of getting promoted,” Ferguson said.

“We’re nearly there now.”

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Victory over Mansfield Town at the Keepmoat this weekend would guarantee third tier football for Rovers next season.

And Plymouth Argyle’s home defeat to Accrington Stanley re-established Rovers’ lead at the top of the table to six points with six games left to play.

They took care of their own business in blistering style, bouncing back from defeat to Plymouth with a demolition job at Grimsby.

And Ferguson insists Rovers cannot be matched in terms of workrate by any of their League Two rivals.

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He said: “When you lose a game, you don’t lose the next one.

“We’ve done that well this season, better than anyone else.

“We’ve transformed into a team that has got a great work ethic.

“No one out-works us.

“I think you saw that again.”

Rovers will assess the fitness of James Coppinger and Conor Grant as they begin to prepare for the clash with Mansfield.

Both midfielders missed the trip to Grimsby while Niall Mason was forced off during the second half.

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Ferguson said: “Copps just felt his ankle on Thursday so we knew he’d be out. Conor Grant we knew would be out on Friday.

“We kept it under wraps quite well and Gary McSheffrey and Luke McCullough came into the team.

“Niall Mason just felt his ankle and couldn’t carry on.”