Notts County are aiming to break their losing streak when they face in-form Cambridge at the weekend.
County have lost their last two games, conceding eight in the process, including an embarrassing 5-0 defeat away to bitter rivals Mansfield.
They then went down 3-1 to Barnet, managed by former Meadow Lane boss Martin Allen.
Let all their supporters down
Mark Cooper said: “I’m really frustrated because we should be getting results, one nil up and looking really comfortable.
“Second half as you’d expect Martin Allen rallied his troops and we come under pressure and concede three goals. We need a little bit of steel, in games of football you’re going to come under pressure but you need be able to stand up to it.”
After the game Martin Allen criticised the Magpies players saying: “They turned their back on the club. I think they let all their supporters down, their managers and everyone down from the way they played.”
Cooper said: “He’s (Allen) got a right to his opinion, if you watched the second half you’d probably have to agree with him.”
Shaun’s rubbing his hands together
It doesn’t get any easier for County, who face a Shaun Derry-managed Cambridge side who beat Morecambe 7-0 in their last game.
Cooper said: “I’m sure Shaun’s rubbing his hands together – they’re still in with a chance of the play-offs so they’re going to come all guns blazing. I’m sure James Spencer will play to show us what we are missing.
“Shaun’s team epitomises him as a player, which was a fighter, a good footballer, but a fighter as well and you’ve got to match that otherwise you have no chance.”
County have won their last two home games one-nil and face two former managers in Shaun Allen and Keith Curle at home before the end of the season.
Cooper added that there would be a lot of good players available in the summer and hopes to add to the squad.
He said: “If you’re the manager you have to have the final say on players because it’s going to be your neck on the block when results don’t go your way. If you sign players and you get bad results then you deserve the stick. But if you don’t sign the players and you get bad results then it’s a difficult one to take.”
