Doncaster manager Grant McCann is happy to have a few more sleepless nights as he contemplates an unlikely late push for the League Two play-offs.
Rovers collected a third consecutive win as they strolled past Forest Green Rovers 2-0, ensuring a top-seven finish remains an outside possibility with a 10-point gap to make up.
And McCann revealed he had discussed the prospect with his wife, despite her misgivings.
“I was laying in bed with my wife and I told her about how far off the play-offs we are and she said she doesn’t know why I put so much pressure on myself,” he said.
“I think she knows me by now. I put a lot of pressure on myself, whether it was when I was playing, when I’m managing or even in every day life. That’s the way I like to work.
“For me and this group, it’s all about the next game now. We just want to carry on, game after game now, and see where we are at the end of the season.
“We’ve got a very tough game next week away at Crawley and we’ll prepare the boys as best we can to go and win that one.
“We stuck to our task in this one and got the job done, even though we could have been better with the ball.”
A Luke Molyneux strike and a Richard Keogh own goal, both in the second half, saw Doncaster secure the win after enduring a tough time breaking down stubborn Forest Green.
Steve Cotterill felt the telling factor in the game was confidence, with his Forest Green side smarting from a defeat to fellow strugglers Sutton while Doncaster were enjoying an excellent run of form.
“It’s very much a confidence thing in the league,” said the Forest Green boss.
“When teams get a win, they can quite often go and get another one and it works the other way as well when you get a defeat.
“I think that was the difference between the teams today. They looked confident and maybe if we had played them six or seven games ago, it might have been different. They looked like they were on the crest of a wave and we didn’t.
“We didn’t perform anywhere like I know we can. Admittedly, we were playing a team in form but we’ve done that before and had good results.
“We didn’t show enough. Some of the mistakes we made, we weren’t in any sort of rhythm and it was a disappointing day for us.
“We’ve had those before and we’ve got to try to deal with them because the games are running out.”
Fulham 1-4 Wolves: Classy Cunha stuns Craven Cottage
Matheus Cunha scored two goals and assisted one as Wolves stunned Fulham with a 4-1 victory at Craven Cottage, making it back-to-back Premier League wins for the visitors.
Alex Iwobi's fantastic long-range curler put Fulham ahead in the 19th minute but Cunha – a bright spark in a so far demoralising season for Gary O'Neil's men – poked home a 31st-minute equaliser.
Cunha turned provider as Joao Gomes put Wolves ahead early in the second half, with the Brazilian duo later trading roles when Cunha added his second with an astonishing finish from the edge of the box.
Fulham were forced to finish the game with 10 men due to Joachim Andersen sustaining an injury after they had used all their substitutes, and Goncalo Guedes came off the bench to add a fourth for Wolves.
The victory lifts them outside the relegation zone on nine points, while Fulham drop two places to ninth, four adrift of the top four.
Data Debrief: Clutch Cunha ready to lead Wolves' survival push
Cunha will justifiably grab the headlines in the coming days after a superb all-round display at Craven Cottage. His opening goal calmed the visitors' nerves before the break as a deft touch and finish ensured the away side went in level.
However, his link-up play in the second half really caught the eye, with a sharp pass to tee up Gomes and a late goal that took the game away from Fulham.
A debate between which of his two goals was better underlines just how impressive he was against Marco Silva's team. He has a total of 10 direct Premier League goal contributions so far this season (seven goals, three assists), meaning he has been involved in half of Wolves' strikes.
He also has 26 goal involvements in his last 29 Premier League starts, scoring 17 and assisting nine. If Wolves are to survive, he will hold the key.
Bournemouth 1-2 Brighton: Ten-man Seagulls hold out to end Cherries' home streak
Ten-man Brighton maintained the pressure on the Premier League’s top four by holding out for a 2-1 victory over Bournemouth.
The Seagulls scored early in both halves, with goals from Joao Pedro and Kaoru Mitoma sealing the points at the Vitality Stadium.
Just four minutes had elapsed when Joao Pedro put Fabian Hurzeler’s side in front, tucking away the rebound after Kepa Arrizabalaga could only parry Georginio Rutter's fierce drive.
The Brazilian then turned provider in the 49th minute with a delightful throughball to release Mitoma, who slotted home.
Brighton had to play the final half an hour with a numerical disadvantage after Carlos Baleba was sent off for a second bookable offence, and Bournemouth pulled one back in stoppage time through David Brooks.
Antoine Semenyo then rattled the crossbar with the final kick of the game, as the visitors just about held on to move level on points again with Chelsea and Arsenal, who they trail on goal difference.
Data Debrief: Buoyant Brighton build on momentum
Having come from behind to beat reigning champions Manchester City before the international break, Brighton built on that momentum to prevent Bournemouth from winning four successive Premier League home games for the first time in their history.
Joao Pedro played a starring role once more with another goal and assist, meaning he has now been directly involved in eight goals in his last nine league appearances.
The Seagulls have now collected 13 points since the start of October, with no other side registering more during that time.
Aston Villa 2-2 Crystal Palace: Sarr's first league goal for Eagles helps extend hosts' winless run
Ross Barkley’s late headed equaliser helped Aston Villa earn a 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace at Villa Park, although their winless run now stands at four matches in the league.
Unai Emery’s side could not shake their poor form as they were forced to come from behind twice at home to an injury-hit Palace team.
Ismaila Sarr got the visitors off to a flying start with his first-ever league goal for the club on four minutes as he slotted home on the break, though Ollie Watkins brought the hosts level in the 36th minute.
Villa could have gone ahead as Youri Tielemans saw a penalty saved just before half-time, but it was Palace who took advantage through Justin Devenny. The 21-year-old put visitors back in front in first-half stoppage time.
The hosts left it late to snatch an equaliser as Barkley headed home from Tieleman's corner off the left with 13 minutes to go.
Aston Villa go seventh in the table, while Crystal Palace drop below Wolves and into the relegation zone in 18th.
Data Debrief: Sarr and Watkins lead from the front
Watkins has been directly involved in 50 goals in 80 Premier League appearances at Villa Park (35 goals, 15 assists), now the outright most of any Villa player in the competition (Gabriel Agbonlahor, 49).
At the other end, Sarr scored and assisted in a Premier League game for the second time in his career, previously doing so versus Liverpool in February 2020.
Both players led their respective sides for expected goals (xG), with Sarr accruing a total of 0.69 from the right wing, while Watkins totalled more than penalty-taker Tielemans with 1.29 xG.
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