Ian Evatt called for collective responsibility to restore Wanderers’ momentum after another painful loss left them off the play-off pace, writes Pete Oliver.
The Whites missed the chance to edge nearer the top six when they were beaten 3-1 at Rotherham in the only League One game of the day.
The defeat was a third in five games wrapped around two wins since Christmas, with Evatt questioning how his players handled the challenge at the Aesseal New York Stadium where the Millers were allowed to extend their unbeaten run to four matches.
“It's a collective thing,” said the Wanderers’ manager, whose side remained 10th in the table – four points away from the play-off places. “I will always take responsibility for my part and my share of the things that are going on, but it isn't just down to me or one man.
“This is a collective thing and today we have dramatically underperformed for our level once again and we have to take collective responsibility for that. That isn't good enough.
“It's not good enough for the basics, just the basics of coming to Rotherham, facing a Steve Evans’ team and competing. We didn't compete anywhere near well enough.
“They're capable of really good things, aesthetically, and the way that we play but the good teams know how to do the hard yards and the dirty work and we don't do that anywhere near well enough.
“I don't say anything publicly different from what I've said to the players. They know exactly where I'm at. Whether they like it or not it's down to them, but it's the truth.”
Evatt believes his team needs to be mentally stronger to deal with the kind of tests provided by Rotherham and others that have taken points off them this season.
The Whites conceded too easily – including once from the penalty spot – to trail the Millers at the break and then despite being second best missed a chance to pull a goal back through substitute Dion Charles before John McAtee did find the net late after Rotherham had added their third.
“I am more than willing to take responsibility for my part of all of this,” added Evatt, whose side faces a Vertu Trophy Tie at Lincoln City on Tuesday night before back-to-back home league games against Cambridge and Charlton Athletic.
“But it's not me out there not competing, it’s not me out there not running, losing duels and losing second balls or mis-placed passing. That's not down to the manager.
“We have crucial, critical chances that we don't take at key times in games. When we got one back you could see we started to get on the ascendancy a little bit so that goal at that time (2-0) would have been important.
“We didn't take it but that wasn't what was wrong today. There was an awful lot wrong and a lot of it starts between the ears. We’ve been saying (we need a response) too often, too many times. All I hear his words. I need to start seeing actions. Everyone needs to start to see actions.”
Watch the manager’s full post-match interview on Wanderers TV