'Mistakes are costing us' - Danny Schofield reacts to Doncaster Rovers' defeat to Grimsby Town

Rovers had led thanks to a superb first half strike from Aidan Barlow.

Schofield’s side gave a decent account of themselves in the first period and looked fairly comfortable immediately after the restart.

However, Grimsby turned the screw and dominated the final third of the game.

Niall Maher levelled from close range in the 85th minute before substitute George Lloyd pounced to score the winner deep into stoppage time.

Rovers have now won once in 11 games and have lost four in succession for the first time this season. They have dropped to 15th in the League Two standings.

Defender Ben Nelson was also stretchered off in the second half with a worrying-looking injury to add to Rovers’ problems.

“I thought we were excellent in the first half and fully deserved to be going in at half time ahead,” said Schofield.

“In the second half I thought we sat too deep – I was trying to encourage the players to get higher and press a little bit more aggressively – but I could understand it with the run of form we’re in.

“It’s a tough result to take. The manner in which we conceded the two goals. I think they can be avoided.

"There’s lots of errors in there. Lots of mistakes. There’s lots of probably poor positional play. That’s what is costing us.

“Ben Nelson going off as well, who I thought performed excellently, had an impact on the momentum of the game a little bit.”

Rovers' mental fragility was evident as they ultimately failed to keep Grimsby at bay and then lost the game in the dying moments.

"I think it always damages confidence when results aren’t positive,” said Schofield, on the players’ current state of mind.

“It affects individual players and the collective but we have to be strong enough in those moments to come through it together.

"Football’s very demanding, particularly in the run of form we’re in. It’s poor – there’s no getting away from that.

"We just have to stick together and keep moving forward.”

A small group of Rovers fans protested before kick-off about the running of the club, while the game was briefly halted in the first half after two tennis balls were thrown onto the pitch from the South Stand.

“I can understand the fans’ frustrations,” said Schofield.

"Football’s about winning football games. We’re not doing that at the moment and the run of form has been poor.

"We can only control what we can control and that’s preparing for the next game and moving forward.”