DISAPPOINTED Town manager Peter Jackson dragged his players in for extra training today and told them: "We were beaten too easily."
Jackson and more than 2,000 travelling fans watched Doncaster Rovers dominate to win 2-1 at Belle Vue yesterday with goals from Leo Fortune-West and Paul Green, dropping Town two places to 17th in Coca-Cola League I.
Even a fine goal by Jon Worthington (who is now just a booking away from suspension) was little consolation for a dire display and a massive improvement is essential when Hull City visit the Galpharm Stadium on Sunday (Noon).
"We were completely outplayed yesterday, and I mean completely," said Jackson, who handed Nat Brown and Lee Fowler first starts of the season and recalled Andy Booth after injury.
"Nobody `turned up' until we scored and then we put them under a bit of pressure, but if we had grabbed an equaliser it would have been thoroughly undeserved.
"Why we played like that is hard to say. I couldn't believe how poor we were, especially in the first half. All we can do now is make sure this is our lowest point of the season.
"Even though we changed things in the second half, we didn't improve a great deal until the closing minutes and some strong words have been said about the whole performance."
Jackson sent on Danny Schofield at half time and reverted to a 4-4-2 formation.
"If we play anything like that against Hull, we will get beaten," added Jackson, whose Reserves are at Doncaster tomorrow (2.00).
"I felt we were beaten too easily yesterday. You are always going to have the odd defeat, but if you go down you go down fighting and we didn't compete enough.
"I want my players coming off the field knowing they have given it their all and knowing we've had a go, but we didn't do that yesterday.
"I know the fans will be upset, and rightly so. They came, but we were dreadful."
