Michael Appleton berates shot-shy forwards after a goalless draw with Doncaster - 7M sport

Michael Appleton berates shot-shy forwards after a goalless draw with Doncaster



Posted Sunday, November 21, 2021 by PA

Michael Appleton berates shot-shy forwards after a goalless draw with Doncaster

Lincoln boss Michael Appleton said he struggled to hold back his frustration with his attacking players at half-time after they failed to take their chances against Doncaster.

The Imps battled out a goalless draw with struggling Rovers and failed to make their better attacking play count in the opening half.

“I thought the game should have been out of sight in the first half so I’m still a little bit angry about that,” Appleton said.

“I thought the opportunities that we let slip in the first half involved a couple of criminal decisions by some of our forward players.

“A lot of people are first to point fingers at defenders and the back four when we concede a goal but ultimately our attack-minded players have got to take responsibility. The fact that we’ve not scored a goal is a joke really.

“It became a bit of a scrap in the second half but we allowed it to be by what we did in the first half.

“Some of our football in the first half was great but the game is about putting the ball in the back of the net.

“You can’t ask for better opportunities than a couple we had in the first half and if I could I would have done something a bit naughty to them at half-time.”

Lasse Sorensen missed a glorious opportunity with a header which Doncaster keeper Louis Jones somehow clawed off his line in the best opportunity of the game.

Doncaster improved after the break and looked the more likely to take the win.

Manager Richie Wellens was pleased with his side’s performance overall, particularly the battling spirit they showed.

He said: “Apart from us working the keeper more, we’ve done everything we possibly could.

“The work rate and the application of the players was outstanding.

“In the end we had a 20-minute spell where we probably should have won it. But, again, we’re playing with players at the end who are just flagging.

“We looked like a team that was fighting and scrapping.

“Every week we get dealt a two and a seven with injuries and we’re just doing the best we can at the moment.

“We had to change what we were planning on Wednesday, and then again on Friday, and again at half-time because John Bostock was injured.

“We’re getting a bad hand every week and we’re just doing what we can.

“I thought we controlled long periods, even if we were a bit slow and didn’t move the ball quick enough at times.

“It was a good performance but the little negative was we didn’t move it forward quick enough or test the keeper enough.”

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