'They tell me they're still playing for me' - Pressure growing on Doncaster Rovers boss Gary McSheffrey

Rovers have slipped to 12th just two wins in their last eight games, keeping the pressure firmly on under-fire boss Gary McSheffrey.

Asked if the players were still playing for him, McSheffrey said: “They say they are, I’ve just asked them that in there (the dressing room).

He added: “I’m hugely disappointed. We had a big chance at 0-0 which could have changed things.

“Johnny’s (goalkeeper Jonathan Philip) made two or three great saves and saved a penalty late on so it could have been a lot worse.

“The second-half performance was nowhere near to the level. We were almost conceding goals from our attacks. It was quite concerning that we weren’t ready and set to defend.

“You look at the names in our squad and team sheet there’s no real excuse.

“We shot ourselves in the foot and ultimately we all need to be better.

“When it goes 2-0 or 3-0 a lot of people can shirk responsibilities. No-one comes out of it with their head held high.”

Callum Guy opened the scoring with a 25-yard effort before Derby loanee Jack Stretton’s quick-fire second-half double completed the job.

Ryan Edmondson’s missed stoppage-time penalty was the only negative for the dominant Cumbrians.

Carlisle: Holy, Ellis, Whelan (Feeney 88), Huntington, Mellish, Armer, Gibson (Charters 90), Guy, Moxon, Edmondson, Stretton (Harris 78). Unused substitutes: Barclay, Bollado, Kelly, Idehen.

Doncaster Rovers: Mitchell, Anderson, Williams, Long, Knoyle, Clayton, Close, Molyneux (Taylor 68), Woltman (Hurst 61), Miller, Biggins (Agard 61). Unused substitutes: Maxwell, Seaman, Faulkner, Bottomley.

Referee: P Wright (Merseyside).