Manager Keith Hill believes Saturday’s performance against Doncaster Rovers deserved more than a 3-2 defeat and was left disappointed with the goals conceded.
“It’s a weakness of the team and it’s a weakness of the phase that we’re going through,” said Hill.
“It’s individual, and I think all the goals can be stopped – they’re avoidable. You’ve got to keep your concentration levels high, irrespective of which position you’re playing. When we’re in possession, I don’t want the players to be watching the game. I think we got caught cold, probably by watching the way we were playing.
“It’s difficult to accept, but, again, you’ve got to roll your sleeves up and carry on and stick to the plan. I think the way we play, 99% of everything we’re trying to achieve is being achieved.
“We need to have stronger concentration levels and a stronger ability individually to accept the challenges individually when it comes to winning the duels. If I’m being honest, I think there are far too many goals going in per ratio of shots against our goal, and that’s been a problem all season.
“We were playing against one of the big hitters today with respect to the amount of shots that they’ve had on target or at goal during the course of the season so far and we’ve pretty much kept them quiet with respect to the amount of goal scoring opportunities that they’ve created in previous games.
“I’m reasonably happy with the way we performed. From an entertainment value, I like to watch that football but I like to win playing that type of football and we haven’t succeeded in that today but we have to stick to our plan.
“There’s no quick fix, we’re a League One side and we’ll do everything we can within our own powers to turn performances like that into positive results.”
Hill also admitted that his side were left to rue missed opportunities, especially in the first half.
“We did [rue missed opportunities], but when you concede three goals, you tend to forget about the chances you created. We created a lot of opportunities and there is a responsibility for players to get shots off - I think we were taking one or two extra passes. Having said that, we got a lot of shots at goal but there was no accuracy.
“We should be more clinical in front of goal and we should be more accurate, and that’s what the players are paid to do. Unfortunately we’re getting it wrong, but that doesn’t mean everything is wrong.
“There’s a great foundation at this football club and I’m really excited and I feel as though we’re on the cusp of something that could be quite special when I look at the team I played on Tuesday night.
“I feel as though the plan is coming together. That’s hard to see when you lose a football match, but I have felt really good this week about what’s coming together behind the scenes, the players that we’ve got and the Youth Team players that we’re introducing into the first team training environment. With respect to what we’re trying to achieve, I’m really pleased with a lot of the foundation work, it’s just that everything we’re perceived to be doing is supposed to be showcased on the first team pitch on a matchday.
“Two thirds of what we’re doing and the way we want to be play is there, but that responsibility to defend, attack, to make sure we score goals and that our midfield players regain the ball and play simple, is just simple football. It’s good when it comes off, and I thought today’s performance was worth more than losing 3-2.”
Watch the full 14 minute interview on iFollow.