Dave Challinor criticised his players’ second-half performance as Stockport lost 2-1 away to Stevenage in League One.
Dan Kemp had put Boro in front after 22 minutes against the run of play but Callum Camps deservedly equalised four minutes later, and they could have had more.
However, after the break it was the home side who were on top and they sealed the win from the penalty spot after 55 minutes, Jamie Reid with the goal.
“The second half was an absolute shambles,” said the Stockport boss. “Our decision-making from the first kick [was poor]. We didn’t want to get on the ball and we constantly made bad decisions.
“And it was all after a really positive first-half performance, although I felt we were probably in third gear, I thought we could really step on it a little bit more.
“We should have been in front in the first half with our performance and the chances created but second half, it was miles from where it needs to be.
“You need to ask the players [why] and what their opinion is because you’ve just watched what I’ve watched, from one 45 to another.
“We spoke at half-time about where we could get joy and it was about mixing things up, about playing when it was on and using the counter-press.
“But our decision-making in the second half was an absolute joke and we didn’t try hard enough to turn that around.
“You go through bad spells in games and it is how you wrestle that momentum back.
“We didn’t show the bravery to be able to do that.”
For Stevenage it was a third win in three and has thrust them into the top half of the table.
And for their boss Alex Revell, the second-half performance was the blueprint for what can make Boro great.
“It was everything that this club is about – spirit and togetherness,” he said.
“The first half was difficult even though we took the lead. We gave the ball away way too much, lacked bravery, lacked a bit of courage, lacked that killer instinct we’ve had over the last couple of weeks.
“They’re a good team but we had a few things to change at half-time in terms of how we played and how we pressed.
“And the second half was one of the best I’ve seen us play in terms of energy and togetherness and doing everything we need to do to keep the ball out.
“I’m delighted for the boys because they’ve worked extremely hard over the past few weeks and these wins are because of that hard work.
“We were outstanding the whole game against Northampton and I thought we were outstanding at times against Burton.
“This was about grit and about winning and about the spirit that we’ve got here among everyone at the football club.”
