Doncaster Rovers boss gives this blunt assessment of his side's performance in Sunderland defeat

Doncaster Rovers boss Darren Moore lamented 'basically, elementary mistakes' as Sunderland raced into a 3-0 lead at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon.
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Moore's side then missed two second-half penalties as the Black Cats secured a 4-1 win.

The result cut the gap between the two in the League One table to four points, though Doncaster stll have two games in hand.

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Moore said he was pleased with some of his side's improvements in the second half, but said the opening 45 from his team was 'simply not good enough'.

Lee Burge saves a late Doncaster penalty at the Stadium of LightLee Burge saves a late Doncaster penalty at the Stadium of Light
Lee Burge saves a late Doncaster penalty at the Stadium of Light

“I can’t think of any others [defeat] as disappointing since we’ve been building,” Moore said.

“But we win games as a team and we lose games as a team so we take it on the chin.

“The only way we do it and get back on track is by working. And for me, Monday cannot come soon enough.

"From our point of view it was not good enough.

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“We started poorly, got back into the game but then conceded another poor goal.

“We had two penalties against us the other week that Ellery [Balcombe] saved and we had two saved today.

“That was our opportunity to get back in the game despite the first half showing.

"To start the game like that just wasn’t good enough - to concede four free headers in the box tells the story," he added.

“It’s back to the drawing board for us on Monday.

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"In the second half we had them pinned back in and it was attack v defence at times but they could sit back because they had the lead,” he added.

“If we had scored the penalties it might have been a different game.

“The second half was more like it but the damage was done in the first half.

“They were basic, elementary mistakes.

“We found the spaces. I always felt we would come here and score so it was about keeping the back door shut.

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"It’s about putting in the performance for the full 90 minutes.”

Doncaster have another crucial game in the promotion race on Wednesday, when they welcome Accrington Stanley.

Moore's side then face Hull City next Saturday.

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