Karl Robinson apologises after his Salford City side are thrashed 7-2 by Rotherham United in the EFL Trophy round of 32.
The Millers went a goal down after just 8 minutes, but there level 10 minutes later thanks to Josh Ayres, they then went behind again just after the half hour mark,though managed to get it to 2-2 just before the break.
Josh Benson put in a superb showing with a hat-trick inside 17 minutes – including a lob from near the halfway line, then Daniel Gore got himself on the scoresheet.
Interviewer: “Not the result at the end of the night that we wanted, but what are your initial reflections?”
Karl: “It was a horrific result. When you look at the first half, some of the territorial dominance that we had and some of the opportunities that we had, I’ve got multiple facets that way. I think that our finishing was horrific. Our choice of final pass from the end to the final third wasn’t good enough.
“I think you’ve seen that when we delved into certain parts of our squad, but when you come looking at a very good League One team who were not long ago in the Championship. Half time they bring on Joe Rafferty, Reece James, Joe Powell, Gore. These are players who are top League One, low Championship players. That’s where they’ve been with their careers and where they think they can go.
“So Liam Kelly have played for Coventry for many, many years.
“So when you look at that as a collective as a whole, our squad definitely was challenged just a little bit more.
“They had the flexibility of not playing it on the weekend, to be able to give some of their senior players more minutes. We couldn’t do that. We had to play around with it.
“In a way, at this moment, it’s sort of got in the middle of one or two things that we’re trying to achieve.
“You can easily say that the young players could have done better, some of the senior players could have helped the young players.
“But I think as a collective, we have to accept responsibility that the senior put on the pitch today wasn’t good enough to get anywhere near that game.
“So we have to reflect on it. We have to know as a football club where we’re at and we just move forward now to the next game.”
Interviewer: “So we had a chance in the first half, there was some good play, good pressing.”
Karl: “Yeah, but we missed so many chances. And when you look at their goals in the first half, the first goal, some of our defending was horrific to allow that wonderful strike in his defence.
“Then they break in the second goal, we let one man free in the box, just go and mark him.
“And the next goal is a wonderful free kick, so you end up looking your 3-2 down from nothing in some ways. I bet they only entered our penalty area three times in that first half.
“The second half, we came out, we had one or two opportunities that we missed. I think Kallum Cesay was offside for the goal that he scored, and they took an opportunity and then our horrific defending for the goal that we scored from a long distance.
“Three players go and press a player and we speak about a 100% line, not letting people in the middle of the pitch. We kept letting people in the middle of the pitch.
“That’s discipline for players who haven’t been playing for a while, making sure that our philosophy stays true.
“You look at the goals that we’ve conceded of late, nothing like that, our shape hasn’t conceded goals. Our shape tonight has conceded goals, and that’s the bit as a coach I’m furious with.
“But it’s something that we all, is it fair, Tom’s not played all season, Kevin Berkoe has not played much football in five, six weeks, Law is a young lad, so you look at that back line, it’s difficult to get that Bruno still young.
“And then obviously Ross has not played much football of late, so you’ve got a back five that’s played minimal amounts of minutes, where the opposition had a back five that had played a lot of minutes over a period of time.
“So for me, it’s a reflection moment, it’s an honest moment, it’s a humbling moment, and we’ll just have to take that on the chin and just roll with the next one.
“We’ve only got beat by one goal against Wolves, without this competition this game would never have existed.
“We’ve lost one game out of four in the whole competition, the problem is it’s in the knockout stages, which is the reason why we’re out of the competition now.
“But if you look as a whole to win three out of four, for me, it’s positive.
“But tonight, it’s horrific, and we’ve got to make sure that we learn from that.”
Interviewer: “Just want to finish off, Nico off the mark took his finish with a couple of other opportunities…”
Karl: “Yeah, he couldn’t score three or four. It’s making sure that he cleans up and saying things, and other players had no football, zero football in some ways.
“So again, our team tonight was littered with players that probably weren’t match ready, but it’s a decision that I went with, nobody else, me, so I take the blame and I take responsibility for every result.
“And it’s important that when we have a night like tonight that we step up and we apologise for that. We know it wasn’t good enough, but I think we have very, very good reasons for that.
“Not excuses, honest reasons, and we will just dust ourselves off tomorrow and we’ll get ready for a game in a few days’ time.”
Twitter users gave their thoughts as Karl Robinson apologises after his Salford side are thrashed 7-2 by Rotherham in the EFL Trophy…
@joesav_scfc: lads the defending on show there was horror i don’t care who’s playing that was a disgraceful performance
@scfcjj40: That was absolutely piss poor, not really bothered about the Competition but the Defending and The Keeping was horrific today
@KbTerracetalk: Buzzing for gore getting his goal and benson was levels above anyone tonight serous players #rufc
@1Namche: #rufc A footballing lesson handed out to Beckham, the Neville’s, the Butts and Scholes etc, tonight. Have I forgotten anyone. You’re welcome lads. Sleep well
@bgannrufc: Obviously it’s a shite competition and only against a L2 side, but scoring 7 goals with the only strikers seeing the pitch being two academy lads is very impressive. #rufc
@VRGamestom: #rufc Well that was rather enjoyable wasn’t it? 1st time we’ve scored 7 away from home since 1956. Not bad for a manager whose only a ‘bib boy’.
@OliverDarnell2: Great to see us winning whatever comp it’s in, even better to see some young ens. #rufc
@rufc_pod: A ruthless second half. Can’t ask for more than that #RUFC
@MrMillerMan1925: 3 academy kids well in lads the future is bright ⭐️ #rufc
@craigthemiller: My lads gone tonight with my dad and he’s done something I haven’t seen us score 7 in a match !!! #rufc
@LMcVann44: What am I seeing? Nipped out for an hour and we’ve scored 7 goals! Youngens having a night. #rufc
@rufc__cal: james clarke first ever senior goal. dan gore first ever senior goal. gardner first ever senior goal. ayres another academy lad scoring his 2nd in 2 starts. benson hat trick. 7-2. players rested and protected. a good day all round 👏 #rufc
@CallumHudson771: Fucking hell even our youngsters look like they can play football now #rufc
