Doncaster boss Ferguson aims to take frustration out on MK Dons

The former Peterborough United manager felt his team were well off the pace at the DW Stadium as they slumped to their first defeat in six games, and expects them to put things right when Robbie Neilson’s men rock up at the Keepmoat this weekend.

“Tuesday was the angriest I’ve been for a while, and if we aren’t good enough then we have to hold our hands up,” said Ferguson.

“The players know where I stand on it and I expect there will be a reaction to it.”

Ferguson says he and his players are well prepared for what the MK Dons will have to offer, and he is expecting a testing afternoon.

“Our preparation for games is outstanding and our video analyst watches five past games from whoever we come up against, to identify strengths and weaknesses of the opposition, so we know what we need to do,” he said.

“We’ll have to be aggressive and on the front foot, MK Dons have been inconsistent, much like ourselves but they are a good footballing side, so it’ll be tough, but the main thing is getting the three points.”

Since scoring six in their FA Cup first round win at non-League Ebbsfleet, Rovers have scored just once in three league fixtures.

Frontman and top scorer John Marquis has failed to find the net in his past six league one matches, his most recent coming on October 7, but Ferguson has no doubt the former Millwall man will come good again.

“This is John’s first tricky period here, it was a fantastic goal scoring season last season he was a major part of our promotion, and as long as he keeps on working hard he’ll be just fine with me,” said the Rovers boss.

“This season his performances have been good, he’s been a handful and he’s been unlucky with a few chances too.

“But in football you go through good spells and bad ones, and if he trains well and does the basics, he gives everything.

“I have the belief in my strikers that they will start scoring goals again, and as long as the work ethic continues then I have no problems with that, we need to start getting more wins and we want to turn those draws into wins.”