Poor performance not true reflection

KEITH Hill accepted the performance at the Keepmoat Stadium on New Year’s Day was well below par.

Dale were beaten 5-0 and in truth the margin of victory could have been even wider.

“It wasn’t a very good performance,” said Hill.

“The risk was keeping Aaron Morley and Dan Adshead on the pitch at half time because more damage could have been done in the first half.

“I thought Magnus Norman made some unbelievable saves, but for us to get off to the start that we did and in the manner that we did is not a reflection of the players’ capabilities, so I’m disappointed.

“As a group of players and manager, you either fight or accept your fate. I’ve been in these positions, where we’ve been heavily beaten, as a player and as a manager and you’re looking for a response. You’re looking for a response from the players on the pitch to work things out and to make sure it doesn’t get worse, but unfortunately it can sometimes get worse before it gets better, in that game.

“What happens now is up to me and the players to sort out, and I hope they’ve got the mettle to do it because it can be difficult when you’ve just been beaten like that.

“Doncaster are a good side but I thought we were very poor. I’m here as the figure head and as the manager and I select the side, but the players have to make sure that they perform better than that individually.

“I believe these players are better than that and they have got to perform better than that to reflect what it is we want to do.

“Aaron Morley has been excellent and I put him in – I didn’t want to take him off before half time with Dan as well.

“They will learn from that, those two, and I hope the senior players learn from it as well. We probably needed more from the senior players.”