Talking Sport Now & Then: Steve Hossack on Rovers' play-off woe, Steve Evans, Challenge Cup and Doncaster Knights

But for Doncaster Rovers’ fans the evening will be remembered as the night their dream of a second Wembley appearance, and the chance of a return to League One, was shattered.

Despite manager Grant McCann warning that the job was only half done I’m pretty sure that the vast majority of the Rovers’ fans in the club’s biggest crowd of the season – and how good was it to see the ground packed out – would have felt that the tie had been decided at Gresty Road four days earlier.

Without being at their best Rovers had beaten an injury-hit Crewe side 2-0 in the first leg and given the respective form of the two clubs during the run-in it was easy to see why the fans felt that way.

With MK Dons, the team that Rovers probably most feared, losing 3-0 at Crawley in their first leg, everything seemed to be falling into place for McCann’s side.

Had Rovers scored first on the night then I am pretty confident that that would have killed off the tie. But that didn’t happen and Crewe levelled the score with two goals inside the first 20 minutes which not only stunned the crowd but also the players.

Had Rovers got through to Sunday’s final Doncaster the city would have been empty as it was back in 2008 when they faced Leeds in the League One play-off final.

I know of people who had already booked their train tickets prior to Friday’s game and others will have booked accommodation either in the centre of the capital or in and around Wembley Stadium.

I remember that a colleague and I made a late decision to stay overnight in 2008 rather than drive back after the match given the many stories we had to write that evening, and paid the price.

By the time we decided on our plans the choice of accommodation near the stadium was very limited and we ended up staying in a place which was a cross between two well-known situation comedies: Rising Damp and Fawlty Towers.

Only the quality of the accommodation or the breakfast was no laughing matter.

Although I still believe that winning promotion via the play-offs is still the best way to do it, McCann will no doubt be setting his sights on finishing in the top three next season and will be looking to improve the squad in the coming weeks with that in mind.

Given the way that the club finished their league campaign, Rovers’ fans will have high hopes of getting out of League Two next season, in what is likely to be a less testing division.

But there are never any guarantees in football.

Although next season’s fixture list won’t look as appealing as it would have done had Rovers gone up – where they would have been facing the likes of Barnsley, Huddersfield and Rotherham - I would urge those Rovers fans who came back into the fold late in the season to be on board at the start of the campaign.

The more people buy a season ticket in the next few weeks the better the club’s prospects of going up next season – not least because of the intimidating atmosphere that would help generate,

*The fact that Rovers won’t be playing the Millers, unless they are drawn together in a cup competition, means that their new boss Steve Evans won’t be back in the city.

He once felt he was in the frame to manage Rovers during their time in the Conference.

I remember being stood near him in the tunnel at Belle Vue after a game against his Boston Unit side after he had been subjected to a torrent of abuse by Doncaster fans as he made his way to the dressing rooms.

“The Doncaster fans love me,” he said as the taunts and bad language continued.

I thought at first he was joking but later I wasn’t so sure as he always spoke well of John Ryan and the club.

*The TV cameras will be back at the Eco-Power Stadium on Saturday when Wigan Warriors take on Hull Kingston Rovers in their Betfred Challenge Cup semi-final in what should be a cracking contest.

Both sides are packed with outstanding players with Wigan’s Bevan French one of the best players I’ve seen during my 60 plus years involvement with the sport.

Even if you aren’t a rugby league fan, why not watch the game on BBC? You never know you might enjoy it.

Better still, give the Dons, who entertain Batley on Sunday, a try. They are playing some entertaining rugby.

*It has been a mixed campaign for Doncaster Knights but they are finishing strongly.

After being pipped at the post by fourth-placed Bedford, a game in which they led 24-10 at the break, Knights finished off their home programme at the weekend with a win over leaders Ealing Trailfinders.

And given the money the London club have again spent on their squad again this season, any win against them is a notable achievement.

It is always tough for a coach/manager to take over during the season, even if, as is the case with Joe Ford, they had already been at the club prior to being promoted.

I am sure that Ford is already looking forward to strengthening his squad and coaching staff prior to the start of pre-season.

Before that, however, he will be looking to sign off with victory in the club’s last game of the season at Hartpury on Saturday week – a win which would see them retain fifth spot.