Notts County roared back to beat Bristol Rovers on Friday
DARRELL Clarke blasted his Bristol Rovers players as they slip let a two-goal lead against League Two Notts County and were dumped out of the FA Cup on Friday night.
The Rovers boss has promised changes after being beaten by the League Two promotion favourites despite enjoying the perfect start at Meadow Lane.
Liam Sercombe and Stuart Sinclair had put Rovers 2-0 up inside 15 minutes only for Ryan Yates to score twice in two minutes to pull the Magpies level.
And Jon Stead put County ahead in the second half before Jorge Grant sealed the win in stoppage time, leaving Clarke fuming at the final whistle.
“It was not good enough,” he said. “It was just weak. Collectively as a group we were weak, we were bullied against a physical team that do what they do very well.
“We’re 2-0 up, could be 3-0 up and we’re right on the front foot and the game opens up but then a goal goes in and we cave in.
“We don’t defend well, we make bad decisions. We concede two goals from setpieces. People have got their jobs to do. We’ve worked all week on defending and what they’re all about.
“Obviously they’re doing well in League Two but for me that sums up our season and there has to be things that change, and things will change.
“Every minute of my day is trying to get this club better, and I won’t accept that and I won’t accept that sort of weak, bullied mentality.
“I don’t know what I’m going to get from my team, week in week out. I take full responsibility for that, because I put the team together. We’ve got to regroup but it’s a very disappointing night.”
Rovers couldn’t have started much better as Sercombe headed home inside ten minutes and Sinclair rose highest to meet Chris Lines’ corner to double their lead. But Yates twice met balls into the box from Carl Dickinson and beat Adam Smith to level the match before Stead and Grant sealed a spot in the second round.
And ominously for Notts County’s League Two promotion rivals, boss Kevin Nolan believes his side still have a long way to go to reach their full potential.
“We are still a team in a transition and I keep trying to get the belief into these boys just how good they really are and what they can do,” Nolan said. “I see it day in and day out and I am telling you there is still more to come.
“Against Bristol Rovers I felt we hit the height from what we have been seeing in training. They expressed themselves and played with the shackles off.
“We went 2-0 down and I was very disappointed to concede the goals that we did. But the reaction, attitude and application after that just showed our camaraderie. And some of our play showed how hard we have been working in possession.
“What we have been doing on the training pitch we put into practice and I am delighted to be in the next round.”