I’m still up for the fight says under-fire Doncaster Rovers boss Gary McSheffrey

McSheffrey has found himself under mounting pressure in recent weeks as Rovers' good start to the season has tailed off.

On Saturday they were beaten 3-0 away to Carlisle United - their sixth defeat in ten matches - with Jonathan Mitchell saving a penalty in injury time to prevent further damage.

McSheffrey said: "I’ve had some bad days in football - as a player as well - it’s how you bounce back.”

The Rovers boss revealed he asked his players if they are still playing for him in the dressing room after the final whistle - and said they told him they were.

McSheffrey was asked if that meant his own confidence in his position has been damaged by below-par performances and inconsistent results this season, which has led to increasingly loud calls for change from supporters.

He replied: “Of course it does. I’m not naive, you can’t get complacent and think you’re untouchable.

"I’m not daft, I know how it works.

"I just said to the players: ‘The first thing someone else would say is you’re not fit enough and you’re not quick enough’, so they would be running you into the ground.

"They need to buck up their ideas, myself included, but especially the players.

"The players are out there delivering and it’s always easy to deflect and hide behind myself or something else, but you have to take some responsibility out there as well."

Saturday's result leaves Doncaster three points off the final play-off spot in League Two after 14 games.

They were booed off by some of the 477 travelling fans at full time.

Chants calling for McSheffrey’s departure could also be heard throughout the match, even with the scores at 0-0.

McSheffrey, who has lost 24 of the 46 games he has taken charge of since Richie Wellens’s departure, with 14 wins, said: “We won’t hide. You just have to try and get through tough times.

"They are pretty adamant in terms of the song they are singing, I can hear things.

"But we go over, we respect them for coming, and thank them for coming.

"We are disappointed that we let them down today.”