Dons must get over their anxiety after conceding says Martin

Trailing just four minutes in, Dons visibly dropped their heads and soon found themselves 3-0 down after 35 minutes.

"What disappoints me is how we react to conceding," said the manager. "We looked wobbly again after conceding, and that's down to mentality. It's not acceptable any more. It's one of the reasons we are where we are in the league. If we are to become a better team, we cannot keep doing that.

"It's too easy for teams sometimes. We've defended well recently, but away, we've found it tough and challenging."

Martin was left frustrated once again by Dons' defending after Newport netted all three of their goals from set-pieces. Tristan Abrahams' tap in after four minutes came when a corner was only half-cleared by the visitors and a second cross was put into the box, before a free kick and another corner routine saw Dons three down at the interval.

Add to that, both of the goals Southend scored on Boxing Day came from set-pieces, Doncaster's equaliser at the Keepmoat was from a corner, while Gillingham and Rotherham (twice) found the net from free kick routines.

"We have to defend as a team – it's not just the defenders," Martin continued. "Two of those goals came from people not picking up their player, and that's not acceptable. It takes away completely from what we're asking them to do. It just changes the whole complexion of the game."