Defeat needs to hurt new Dons but Manning wants them to bounce back quick

Liam Manning said he wants his players to feel hurt and disappointed by the manner of their 3-0 defeat to Ipswich Town on Saturday.

Chasing from the fifth minute after Wes Burns fired home from the edge of the box, Dons looked a way off the pace of the promotion-fancied Tractor Boys all afternoon.

Marcus Harness doubled their advantage on 29 minutes before Conor Chaplin made it 3-0 on the hour mark, resigning Dons to their third consecutive defeat in League One, dropping them to the very foot of the table.

Last term, Manning often cited defeats at Doncaster Rovers and Shrewsbury as the lowest points of the campaign, and though Dons are just three games into the new season, he wants the game at Portman Road to be the new outlier for his rebuilt squad.

“I think it has to be in terms of what we do next. We have to suck it up and move on, we can't dwell on it, but also make sure it hurts because you don't want it to happen like this again.

“We've got a few young lads who will need time, and they need to reflect, be honest with themselves, take responsibility, and it's our job to challenge them to improve and get better.

“We're in the early stages of a long journey. We have to be realistic - we're in a transition, a rebuild, we've got new players and some key ones missing through injury. That aside, our performance was not up to the levels required. The players are disappointed, everyone is, and we have to learn quickly ahead of Tuesday.

“Ipswich are a really strong side, they've got a level of consistency from last year but they've added well to it and I think they'll be there or thereabouts this season. But we're at a different stage and it won't be a smooth journey in getting to where we want to be.

“It's a tough one to take but we have to suck it up and learn from it, progress and don't repeat it.”