Scunthorpe United boss Jimmy Dean provided his thoughts following the Iron’s 1-0 home defeat against Torquay United at Glanford Park in the Vanarama National League.
A second-half strike from Lewis Collins ensured the Gulls left North Lincolnshire with all three points, with only five games now remaining until the end of the 2022/23 campaign.
Speaking to Iron Player following the full-time whistle, Dean began by saying: "A game of that importance and to turn up like that was disgraceful.
"I don't understand the players, they come in and they have a smile on their face, they come back in and then they go back out and you think they are in the right place.
"They couldn’t string three or four passes together, it was going out for throw-ins, losing personal battles all over the pitch. I can’t really say more than that can I."
In a typical tense battle between two sides in the relegation zone, the physical side of the game proved to be vitally important across the 90 minutes, with Dean providing an update on his squad after he was forced to make three substitutions in just 12 second-half minutes.
He said: "Cam [Wilson] came off injured and Richie [Bennett] came off with a knock. Dion [Sembie-Ferris] was also struggling with tired legs and a tight groin."
Returning to action against Gateshead away from home on Good Friday, United’s bid to avoid relegation from the National League this season is still mathematically possible.
It is that very statement that Dean admits his players must hang onto, with work still to be done to steer clear of the bottom four places in the division.
"For your professionalism, for your pride, you have to [keep going]," added the boss. "But I just hope they understand that.
"I will come out here and I don’t really pass the blame on them too much, but I think they have to be held accountable for that today. I don’t know whether it was their mentality, but it was just bad."