Doncaster Rovers manager Grant McCann was not surprised to see a red card be issued to John Fleck for his challenge on Owen Bailey in Saturday’s FA Cup tie.

Rovers came from a goal down to win 2-1, with Bailey equalising immediately after Lee Bonis’ opener, and then Jack Senor struck a late winner to send the South Yorkshire club through to round two after an entertaining night under the lights at the SMH Group Stadium.

The game hinged on a red card for Fleck, who had just come on, on the hour-mark when he was given his marching orders after a tackle on Bailey in the middle of the pitch. The Blues were well-organised for the last half an hour and it looked like the match was heading for extra-time until Senior rifled in.

On the red card, McCann said: "You just can’t raise your studs at this level anymore. If I’m honest, in my day, it is probably just ‘play on.’ But these days, if you raise your studs, whether you catch the opponent or not, it is a red card. I am sure Paul (Cook) and the Chesterfield staff will probably be thinking he has not touched him. In the modern day rules, it is a red. In my day, it is probably just ‘play on. Ultimately the sending off changed the course of the game because it actually made it tougher for us. They sat in and for the last 15-20 minutes and were probably more like a 5-3-1 which is difficult to break down.”

placeholder image — Doncaster Rovers manager Grant McCann.

McCann was wary of having a man sent off for his team, withdrawing Harry Clifton, who was on a yellow card, at half-time. The result rounds off a good week for Doncaster, with successive wins against Chesterfield in two different cup competitions.

He continued: “It was a tough game, it always is here. I am pleased to get into the next round. We got back into the game with an excellent goal. It was probably a game of little chances. There was not much in it both ways, I think it was a bit nip and tuck.

"Chesterfield are a really good team and no doubt will be in the mix this year. They don’t lose many games here over the last two or three years. We knew we had to be really good tonight, both with and without the ball. We didn’t give them many chances but we probably could have been better with the ball.”