Darren Sarll slammed Stevenage’s defending as ‘shambolic’ as he laid into his side’s performance against Doncaster Rovers.

Boro conceded three times in just 11 first-half minutes in Saturday’s League Two clash, including the opener from a free-kick where Andy Butler nodded in unmarked.

A second-half resurgence saw them claw back to 3-2 before Doncaster scored from a free-kick following more poor marking.

Rowan Liburd then added a late third for Stevenage but Boro weren’t able to find an equaliser as they extended their winless run at home in the league to five matches over 12 weeks.

Speaking about Stevenage’s performance, Sarll said his side responded to a ‘very large size nine up the backside’ at the break but added that some of his side’s defending was ‘criminal’.

Sarll said: “We didn’t deserve anything from the game. The way we defended those two free-kicks was criminal. When I look at them and I maybe relate them to another game this year, [conceding] two here at home to Plymouth, I’m going to start picking out individuals that are costing us in that situation and I’m going to remove them from the playing side. I’m not having it.

“We’re not going to fight relegation this year. We’re too good in our squad with the ability and depth.

“But what I won’t have is people who haven’t got the mindset who want to go up. If they don’t have the mindset to go up and the bravery to go up then I need to remove that from the transitional process we’re going through.”

Sarll added: “Physically we were good, we had a decent aerial prowess in the side so to concede the two goals [from free-kicks] we did was shambolic. I’m not going to make excuses for it.

“They showed a pride [second half] in themselves. I said to them at half time that they better not let this town and football club down. They’re better than that.

“I made two substitutions to try to get the offensive side of the game going. I don’t think Doncaster really created too many chances in the ebb and flow of the first half.

“I wasn’t too worried defensively about open play but I wanted to make sure we did more in possession. Second half we did more.

“I want to get promotion. I have got 12 promotion-winning players in my dressing room and four staff who have won promotion. All the things we’re doing is to [enable us to] win and get ourselves in and around the promotion spots so we can try.”