Collector's item goal, 2018/19 vibes and other Doncaster Rovers talking points

They sealed a 2-1 home win over Walsall on Tuesday night. Here are four talking points to emerge from the contest.

Belief

Make no mistake, Rovers are right in the thick of this play-off push.

Grant McCann, speaking post-match, was relatively coy saying all the usual platitudes that you would expect. But the supporters believe, and surely the players do too. Nobody will be looking forward to facing this team right now. Seven wins on the bounce has made others sit up and take notice.

With four games left they are well and truly contenders.

"We've put ourselves in the picture and that's a testament to the staff and players for the hard work we've put in," said McCann. "We just want to finish strong. Nobody is getting ahead of themselves."

Ironside ends drought

Joe Ironside entered this contest without a goal in his last eight matches - his longest drought of the season.

After an early snapshot at goal he got his angles right just before half-time when he finished coolly after Luke Molyneux's pull-back. His overall performance was of a high standard too, putting in plenty of blocks and challenges and dominating aerial battles with Walsall defenders.

"I'm pleased for Joe because he hadn't scored for a few games," his manager said. "He's had a little niggle that kept him out for a game or two but he's looking strong and that was his best performance for some time tonight. Hopefully he can finish the season strong now and get to the numbers we know he can get to."

With Maxime Biamou missing for the time being with a hamstring-related concern, Ironside's presence is vital.

On Biamou, McCann provided a brief update post-match: "We're still waiting on the scan results for Max so we should have a bit more information later in the week."

Making DN4 a fortress

It's right up there with footballing cliches but pretty much all successful teams ensure their home ground is a fortress.

Having lost a third of their matches on home soil clearly rankles with McCann but that has been adequately addressed in recent months.

This victory made it six in a row on home soil - leading him to compare it with his first spell in charge. That 2018-19 season saw them lose just three times in the regular campaign.

"It feels good. I remember my first spell here we were hard to beat against anybody and it feels like that now," he told the Free Press. "The boys like playing here, the pitch is good and it feels good coming here at the minute, so long may it continue."

The only blot on Rovers' copybook was when Isaac Hutchinson notched in stoppage time. It ended a superb streak of more than eight hours without conceding, stretching back to when Swindon scored against them back on March 16.

Star man's unlikely finish

Another game, another Hakeeb Adelakun masterclass.

He might not have been in the sparkling form of recent weeks but he still ended the game with a goal and the Rovers' fans once again calling for his signature on a permanent basis.

The clamour is growing on a game-by-game basis. His goal here was a peculiar one in that he scored with his head - something he admitted post-match isn't his forte.

"I think that's my first header! But I'll take it," said the Lincoln loanee.

Even his manager was surprised at his choice of finish: "I said to him when he came off I didn't expect him to head it. He's actually bust his lip open. I expected him to bring it down and lob it over with the form he's in."