Dons need to react after airing home truths in Shrewsbury dressing room

Airing a few issues in the dressing room was essential after Saturday’s defeat to Shrewsbury, but not the first time it has happened this season, Liam Manning said.

Defender Warren O’Hora admitted there were some harsh words said in the aftermath of the 2-1 loss at Montegomery Waters Meadow, a result which saw Dons slump back into the League One relegation zone.

Having lost seven of 11 in the league this season, Manning said the players airing their grievances amongst themselves shows they are taking accountability for themselves, but he wants someone to step up now and put those words into action.

“We’ve done it a couple of times this season, Saturday wasn’t the only time,” he said. “The players drove it more than anybody in the dressing room too. We can do all the talking off the pitch, give them all the plans and information but when the whistle blows, we need people to go and grab the game. That’s what we’re looking for.

“We want to win games and to perform, and to do that we have to improve people and the team. Our work continues to push people but when the game starts, we'll have done all the work we can to provide clarity in the plan with what we expect to face.

“We're challenging the players to be brave and take responsibility in the games, and at the moment we haven't done well enough at that.”

Midfielder Bradley Johnson confirmed Manning’s words, saying it is important for the players to be honest with each other, but to move on and improve as a result.

“It's important,” he said. “We're grown men, we want to win and we know we're letting people down. There were a lot of tough words said and rightly so because we knew we weren't good enough. It shouldn't take us to go 2-0 down to react the way we did. The last 20 minutes, we were really good, even down to ten men. It's good, it shows everyone cares and we're on the same page.

“But we say what we need to say, everyone is man enough to take it. If I have a bad game and one of the young lads asks me what I was doing, I have to take it, and vice-versa.

“We've got one goal and that's to do well for this club. A few home truths were told, and rightly so, but we've come in today and we now focus on tomorrow.”