Darren Sarll was furious with the way his side gifted Doncaster a 3-0 half-time lead at the Lamex, leaving a momentous comeback effort needed to get anything out of Saturday’s game.
Boro did fight their way back into the match and came a whisker away from a point, but Sarll struggled see past the first half mistakes as the game ended 4-3.
“We didn’t deserve anything from the game, the way we defended those two free-kicks. It is criminal.
“Carlisle here, Plymouth here, the top three sides if you like - haven’t had to play through us once. That is really disappointing.
“To concede the two goals we did was shambolic. I am not going to make any bones or any excuses for it, it is a situation that is well versed and they have not executed. If you don’t do your job you don’t play.
“I will live on the first half, as will the staff, but the players need to take the second half performance home. We have to take the game to the opposition, that is what a winner does.”
The manner in which Stevenage played their way back into the game was to be admired as Sarll revealed his half-time message to the players.
“They showed a pride. I said to them at half-time, you had better not let this town or football club down. Obviously we made two substitutions to try and help get the offensive side of the game going and to make sure we did more in possession.
“I thought Michael did very well, excellent pro and this is a big period for Tom Pett. He either grabs the shoe by the horns, really works for this, stays in the side and does this week-in-week-out or he will just go in, out, in, out. I laid down the challenge to him and it is a really defining period for him.
“All the things we are doing are to win and get ourselves in and around the promotion spots. This club deserves that, this town deserves that. The East Terrace at a minimum deserve that after the way they performed today, I thought they were magnificent.
"The second half was a forthright, positive, entertaining performance, one that we deserve here at the Lamex. The first half was devoid of a character that can drive the club forward offensively.“
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