Angry McDonald blasts Poppies for ‘worst performance’ in Stratford loss

The Poppies made the short trip to Warwickshire on a high following their impressive 2-1 win over third-placed Real Bedford at Latimer Park on Friday.

McDonald said prior to Monday's clash the Poppies were now the team to 'fear' in the race for the play-offs, but the players turned in what he called their 'worst performance' to lose to the Bards.

The result saw the Poppies drop out of the play-off places, sliding to sixth, a point behind fifth-placed Redditch United.

But their play-off fate is still in their own hands as they have a game in hand on fourth-placed Halesowen Town, who are only two points better off.

The Poppies have to also play both Redditch and Halesowen at home.

But if they are to get back in that top five, the Poppies are going to have to perform a lot better than they did at Stratford, who won it thanks to goals in each half from Joshua Toluwaloju and Dan Lafferty.

"I am angry at the performance, and I kept the lads out afterwards because if I had gone in there it would have been even worse for them because I am not happy," said McDonald.

"They have done unbelievably well, and I have to keep reminding of that.

"But teams are a reflection of their manager, and I have said 'lads, that's not me'.

"I am standing there watching us have no ideas, and it is the first time I have seen us go off script, and some of them just did their own thing.

"They were thinking 'you know what, we are winning, and everything we touch at the minute hits the back of the net', and it didn't in this game.

"Fair play to Stratford, I thought they were the better team and were worthy winners, so I don't want to take anything away from them.

"We looked leggy, and that is my fault because I have picked the wrong team.

"We were battered in the first half, and every time they hit us on the counter we looked terrible.

"I pick the team so I have said to the players I will take 50 per cent of that, but the other 50 per cent is down them and their attitude and application to winning a game of football.

"The subs have come on and offered nothing, seven or eight of the players who started have offered nothing, but I have picked them.

"The team was still strong enough to go out and win, but they haven't played like they wanted to win this game as much as Stratford wanted to."

The loss was only the team's second in 14 matches, with the Poppies rising from the bottom half of the table to play-off contenders.

And McDonald admitting he can accept losing, but not in such a way.

"I have said for the past month and a half that we are going to lose games, because these players aren't indestructible," said the Kettering boss.

"We got beat on Monday and I have always been prepared for a loss, it was just the manner of it.

"Forget the early days, but with this side that is probably our worst performance.

"We lost to Alvechurch, but we had chances and it was hectic.

"So we have to pick ourselves, train hard on Thursday and go again."

The Poppies are back at Latimer Park on Saturday when they entertain Worcester City (ko 3pm).