Doncaster Rovers manager Paul Dickov spoke to Rovers Player after his side’s 2-1 home defeat to fellow strugglers Bolton Wanderers.
Early goals from Neil Danns and Joe Mason sent Rovers tumbling to their second defeat on the bounce at the Keepmoat Stadium, despite David Cotterill’s superb free-kick, creating the opportunity of a comeback.
The loss leaves Doncaster just four points above the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone, with five games remaining.
Despite the loss, Dickov was pleased with the character his side showed after conceding two goals in the first 15 minutes, to try an fight their way back into the match.
He said: “In the first 25 minutes, we were so open, which has been unlike us recently and they’ve gone two nil up.
“After we got it sorted out a little bit, in the last 15 minutes of the first half and all of the second half, I thought the boys were fantastic.
“In the second half we played all the football, had all the pressure and sometimes when you are looking for little breaks, it doesn’t quite come.
“The thing that pleased me was the boys reaction, because it would have been easy to go under, but they dug in and got the goal back and possibly should have had a few more.”
The main talking point in the match came in the second half, when James Husband appeared to have been brought down in the penalty area.
Despite the protests, the referee awarded a corner and Dickov was clearly aggrieved with the decision.
The Rovers manager fumed: “We had a definite penalty, we have just watched it again and how it has not been given, I will never know.
“If you have knowledge of the game and you think their player has cleared it from his body in the tackle, the ball goes out in the other direction, it is just little things like that, that are annoying.
“When you are down there you don’t get it, the referee’s position is good, its a penalty full stop. "
Dickov also admitted his side missed a cutting edge in front of goal: “Adam Bogdan has made numerous saves for Bolton today, we’ve hit the bar as-well, so creating that many chances, you expect to score a few more."