Richie Wellens will talk to Doncaster Rovers chief executive and chairman after 'unacceptable' and 'embarrassing' defeat at Ipswich Town
Rovers were embarrassed in Suffolk as they lost 6-0 to an Ipswich side who picked up their first home win of the season in the process.
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Hide AdA dismal 10-minute spell at the end of the second half saw the hosts find all sorts of space to inflict Rovers’ heaviest league defeat in over 10 years – ironically equalling the 6-0 defeat at home to the Tractor Boys in 2011.
Wellens was honest in his assessment of both the game and himself and did not pull any punches with his thoughts.
“It was embarrassing,” he said.
“The players and myself will refund every single supporter that has come all the way to see that because that is not acceptable.
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Hide Ad“I can only apologise, as a manager it is a lonely place to be, I’ll question myself and I’ll speak to Gavin [Baldwin] and David [Blunt] tonight because I know I’m a good manager but the results aren’t good enough.
"I’ll text Gavin now and we’ll have a conversation. If we don’t feel that we’re going in the same direction then I only want the best for this club.
"I’ve made long term decisions which are hampering what we are doing now so as long as we’re on the same page. I’m raw at the moment. I just want what’s best for the club.”
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Hide AdIn front of 18,000 fans at Portman Road, Ipswich started like a side that hadn’t won a home game all season.
Nervy on the ball and under pressure from their supporters, a poor pass from Ben Close was the kick-start that the hosts needed to get going. It only got worse.
Wellens picked that out as the turning point.
He added: “Goals change games and the first goal is an absolute killer.
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Hide Ad“We started the first 10 minutes of the game and we looked okay, they looked edgy, but we give them a leg up and it went from there.
“We’re in good possession and the pass is lost, it was lethargic, it was tired in every aspect of our game.
“The biggest kick in the teeth is that we’ve taken a massive backwards step.
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Hide Ad“To go from Saturday and being unfortunate to that, the performance was not acceptable in any form.”
Rovers still find themselves bottom of League One, six points from safety. Ahead of Saturday’s visit of MK Dons, Wellens says while he will take the brunt of it, his side also need to respond.
“The players let themselves down massively tonight. I’ll take all the blame that comes my way but we need to be constructive now and move forward.
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Hide Ad“I only want the best for this club. I love this club. I was successful as a player and I want to be as a manager but when you get performances like that, it’s difficult.
“I’m still raw at the minute, that’s the first time we’ve been overran, out-fought, they found too much space and that’s the first time I’ve felt like this.
“Tonight was a real low.”