Doncaster Rovers manager Darren Moore praised his team for being “right at the top of their game” after an excellent 4-1 win over League One leaders Ipswich Town.
They inflicted a first defeat of the season on the Tractor Boys, just three days after securing another impressive result when they won away at Portsmouth.
Their latest success moved them into the play-off positions and Moore had plenty to be pleased about as his side dismantled one of the division’s top promotion contenders.
‘Ferocious’ contest
Doncaster had to come from a goal down after Joe Wright’s own goal, but two strikes from Ben Whiteman and goals from Cameron John and Fejiri Okenabiehie saw them emphatically turn the tables.
Moore said: “It was a ferocious game with real tempo and tenacity. I’m really pleased with the players and how they added to the game with that tempo and tenacity.
“Tonight the boys had to be right on the top of their game and I thought certainly off the ball they were definitely on their game; on the ball they were good but I thought they could have been better in periods. It’s something for us to look at and try and get better.
“When we went 1-0 down I still thought we just had to stick to the game plan. Against this opposition we needed to be better, we were a little bit frantic and we just needed to settle down a little bit.
“But it was frantic because the speed of the game was frantic, it was a ferocious pace. When the goal went it was just a case of keeping composure. We didn’t get too erratic and stayed in the game, and as the half wore on we got back into the game.
“I thought it was a great goal from Cameron John, he did really well to get us back in the game. Then we came out in the second half, matched that and then managed to gain control of the game and the goals came from there.”
Okenabirhie gets his reward
Moore had particular praise for striker Okenabirhie, who scored his first league goal of the season having made key contributions in the past two games in place of the injured Tyreece John-Jules.
“I’m really pleased by him – it’s nice for a striker when you’re putting in that hard work for the team off the ball,” said Moore. “All strikers want to score and it’s great that he’s got on the scoresheet.
“He was huge, and I thought in the second half he got even stronger. He held the ball up and gave us that respite to get up the pitch. I’m really pleased for him because sometimes you can feel like you’re (just) working, working, working.
“We always know that if he gets a chance he’s more than capable of sticking it in the back of the net and I thought he steadied himself and it was a clean strike.”