Paul Stancliffe was disappointed with the performance put in by a particularly youthful U18 side in a 4-1 defeat at Notts County.
Jack Watson’s strike came as little consolation as Notts ran out comfortable victors.
Stancliffe said: “I’ve said many times before - you can make mistakes and have poor performances but not to work hard, not to run around and not to tackle, not to want to play – that’s the disappointing thing – there was far too much of that.
“It was an opportunity for the young lads from the U16s to show what they can do, we know they have ability but they’ve just not done it. When they do come into the full environment in the future, they’ve got to be better.”
Notts opened proceedings when their forward Kion Etete broke through Rovers’ defence and chipped the onrushing Declan Ogley within five minutes of play.
The young Magpies did not rest on their laurels, as Remaye Campbell scored an identical goal to Etete’s to double their lead after 26 minutes.
During the opening minutes of the second half Rovers conceded a free kick on the edge of the box, allowing Notts’ captain Declan Dunn to step up and hit a curling ball round Rovers’ wall to put them 3-0 up.
Watson relieved some pressure as he managed to pull a goal back, before Rovers conceded yet again after another Remaye Campbell let fly from the right-hand corner of the box to find the top left corner of Ogley’s goal.