Hill: It was a very difficult afternoon

First team manager Keith Hill provided his reaction to iFollow Iron after his side's 4-0 loss at high-flying Tranmere Rovers on Saturday.

He said: "It was a very difficult afternoon and I feel for the supporters, and the players because they're working ever so hard but we weren't good enough. There's a distinct difference between the two squads and the calibre of player, and that's not me doing a disservice to our players. It's just where we're at. They're trying everything they possibly can in a game that was very tough for them.

"You see the experienced decisions the opposition are making and it was a hard watch, definitely. But I'm still encouraged by the players' hard work, energy and their efforts on the training pitch, but it was a difficult one today.

"I do believe the way defended was very naive. When their first two goals came there was nothing in the game, but one mistake and then another mistake leads to two goals and all of a sudden the atmosphere changes and the course of the game turned completely on its head. It was very competitive up to then but when you're wrestling for that opportunity you have to be ruthless, and Tranmere were."

Talking about the players, he added: "They're very disappointed in the way they've individually performed and also as a team on behalf of the supporters, but we've got to pin our shoulders back and go again. There's no giving up. Psychologically, there was no big debrief and there can't be as the players are hurting and I think it's time for us to just have a quiet moment on our own at the weekend now and get back to work with earnest on Monday.

"Times like this are very difficult but I ask everybody to stick together, support the club and support the players because they are hurting. I'm hurting too, it was a very difficult afternoon for me, but we're planning on going again and trying to be successful on the fans' behalf."

He concluded: "We do need reinforcements and that sense of 'we're going to be better and stronger'. It's emotionally hard to explain the way everyone's feeling but one thing I will make clear to everyone is we'll do everything we possibly can do with our honesty and being humble in our desire to improve things."

See much more from Keith Hill and Rory Watson on iFollow Iron.