Hill dismisses confidence factor

KEITH Hill said he didn’t believe a lack of confidence among his players was entirely to blame for recent results.

And the manager called on his squad to raise their collective game.

“It’s just a question of grasping the mettle. The players have got to perform to a better standard collectively. They are a good group of players but there’s something missing,” he said.

“I don’t subscribe to players with a lack of confidence, it’s not as if we are playing in front of fifty thousand home supporters and the demands are to win the league. That is a different pressure and sometimes affects confidence.

“For League One and Two players, I believe you should embrace any type of pressure if there is any, which should build you and your character to perform at a higher level.”

Hill switched Matty Done from the frontline of the team to left-back at Doncaster on Friday and while the overall performance left him disappointed, he was pleased with Done contribution.

The switch meant Joe Bunney being played further forward in a bid to expose Doncaster in wide areas of the pitch.

“With the way Doncaster play, they give you width at times. For me, I thought Matty was superb in the second half,” said Hill.

“While he’s struggling for form confidence wise, I thought it was a good pick. We didn’t lose the game because Matty Done played at leftback.

“We lost because the group didn’t commit towards the bare necessities and values that win you a football match - we should have been on the front foot.”