Hockaday slams the boo boys as Rovers crash out of the Trophy
A PERPLEXED Dave Hockaday hit out at the Forest Green boo-boys after his side were on the wrong end of an FA Trophy upset.
Blue Square Bet North outfit Gainsborough Trinity ran out 2-1 winners at the New Lawn, prompting grumbles and jeers from sections of a paltry pre-Christmas crowd of 496.
Hockaday said: "I thought the Gainsborough fans were magnificent, and this is when you become supporters.
"You're not going to play great all the time, but in the first half we were okay and 1-0 down and in the second half we needed the fans to get behind the team.
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"It's difficult because you want positivity and it felt like we were playing away from home – they only had 50-odd supporters.
"The easiest thing is to criticise, the hardest thing is to be constructive. They call it home advantage and it didn't feel like it.
"I know things work off each other and we've got to play well, but when things are a little bit tough you're looking for people to stand up and be counted.
"The fans have been super of late so hopefully this is just a one-off. I'm devastated for the true fans, my staff and the players."
Experienced former Scunthorpe United striker Darryn Stamp was Rovers' chief tormentor, scoring twice.
Left-back Chris Stokes netted his second goal in as many games to raise hopes of a rescue mission, but Trinity survived a fraught finish to claim their place in the last 16.
A frustrated Hockaday said: "We can't keep chasing games but sometimes you've got to say It wasn't our day, and it certainly wasn't ours in front of goal.
"God knows how many chances we had cleared off the line and their keeper (Jan Budtz) has made saves. I don't like making excuses but things just didn't go for us in the box.
"The intensity wasn't there in the first half because we were playing in front of them instead of behind, but in the second half we improved.
"I couldn't fault the effort, and once we got one goal back it looked like we were going to get two or three."
Rovers will be aiming to extend their five-match unbeaten run in the Blue Square Bet Premier tomorrow when they head to strugglers Braintree Town.
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