Gary McSheffrey accuses Doncaster Rovers players of 'shirking' in defeat to Mansfield Town

Gary McSheffrey, the Doncaster Rovers manager, was not happy. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)

Doncaster Rovers boss Gary McSheffrey was unhappy with his side’s display and accused certain players of shirking responsibility.

Ollie Clarke’s spectacular volley opened the scoring on the quarter-hour mark and, after Lee Tomlin levelled from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time, further efforts from George Maris and Lucas Akins secured a 3-1 victory.

The result brought an end to Rovers’ unbeaten start to the League Two campaign, much to the annoyance of McSheffrey.

He said: “We have to take it on the chin, because they were better than us individually and collectively and deserved to win the game. They were quicker than us to the ball and caused us all sorts of problems.

“We started the game better than any match this season with a couple of corners, but then it fizzled out. We also started the second half well but they had more fight than us throughout the game and that was the biggest disappointment.

“You need desire and courage on the ball and it was missing. We were just too way off it, especially in possession, including our full-backs and the midfielders.

“It just seemed to be a knock-on effect and too many shirked the responsibility to get us playing.”