Joey Barton bemoaned the early concession of a penalty that proved hugely costly for Bristol Rovers against MK Dons on Saturday, but the Gas boss says he "cannot fault" his players despite slumping to a third straight League One defeat.
The Dons, caught up in the relegation battle, were presented with an early chance to go in front at the Mem when Jarell Quansah felled Mo Eisa in the box inside two minutes, and the striker picked himself up to put the visitors in front.
Much like the previous two defeats – at Morecambe and Accrington Stanley respectively – the Gas controlled the possession battle but did not show enough of an attacking threat. They plugged away until the end when Max Dean made sure of the win with a breakaway goal when Rovers had committed men forwards.
The Gas dropped to 13th in League One after the defeat, with a trip to Lincoln City in seven days' time the next chance to put it right.
"It’s tough," Barton admitted after the game. "You work hard all week and you want to give our fans a good account of ourselves, certainly after the disappointment of Morecambe last week, and within a minute and 30 seconds, we’ve conceded a penalty. You’re chasing your tail a little bit.
"We had a lot of ball without loads of purpose, which is becoming a regular theme and we must be better, but I can’t fault the lads’ effort and application. They are still brave and trying to play and still trying to do the right things.
"There are some good spells and moments in there, but if you don’t win games of football they don’t get remembered and people, obviously, get disappointed.
"The second goal, we’re chasing the game and trying to get back in it and make something happen and we got sucker-punched on the counter.
"Disappointing. We’ve lost three games to teams in the bottom five and six and it stings, but we’ve got to stick together and keep scrapping away because if we’re not careful, we could get drawn into a fight we don’t want to be involved in."
Barton praised his players' application and he believes their hard work will be rewarded in the weeks ahead, backing them to rediscover their form soon.
"They had a go, the lads, and they have tried to play in the right way," he added. "Alright, we haven’t had much purchase; we huffed and puffed a bit and there were not as many quality moments in their final third as we would like.
"But the penalty changed the game. It gets them the goal they need and it gives them something to hang onto and with the pace they have got on the frontline, there is always going to be a counter-attacking threat.
"I do feel we controlled most of the game, but when you concede after two minutes, you make it tricky because they are fighting for their lives and they have got something to hang onto.
"A frustrating day, but I can’t fault my players. They kept going, they kept scrapping for the shirt and trying to do the right things. If you keep that attitude and application, eventually, your results profile turns."
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