DONCASTER return to Valley Parade tonight on the back of a weekend defeat.

But Grant McCann’s men are on an upward trajectory of late.

The table does not make great reading with Rovers still languishing in 20th place.

But any lingering fears of being dragged into a relegation scrap have disappeared with a comfortable 12-point cushion from the drop zone.

Saturday’s 3-1 loss at Walsall, where they conceded the third to former loan striker Mo Faal, was a first setback in five games since City knocked them out in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy quarter-finals in January.

A crucial late point at Sutton, who were breathing down their necks at the time, was followed by three wins in four.

Walsall aside, it has been a much-needed upturn for a club who have tended to drop like a stone in the closing stages of recent seasons.

That’s why McCann is challenging his players with a league table of his own – just taking in results from the beginning of last month.

“I think it’s massive for us to have a really good end to the season and finish as strong as possible,” he said.

“I said to the boys ‘look, there’s the last 18 games, let’s see how we can do’. I think it was after the game against Stockport.

"We actually put a league table up and we’re doing it weekly at the minute. It’s in the canteen for the players. We just want to finish as high up that league table as possible and we got to the other day and we were second in it until the round of games last Tuesday.

"If we can still be around that top end of the table at the end of the season, then who knows where we can end up and that’s the little challenge to the players. It’s game by game, by game.”

Winger Luke Molyneux missed the Walsall game and remains a doubt with a glute injury.