Sheffield United: Adkins takes it on chin and admits only wins will do now

After a morale-boosting weekend derby win at Doncaster Rovers, the Blades produced a poor performance in going down 1-0 to the struggling Shakers, who completed a seasonal double over the visitors, who remain five points off the play-off places in a disappointing ninth position.

The result was all the more galling given that the Lancastrians headed into the game on the back of their worst league loss since April, 1989, a 6-0 mauling at Coventry, and without a home success this year.

Attacker Jose Baxter issued an apology to the 839 Blades fans who headed over to Gigg Lane for the result and performance and Adkins says that he is willing to take any criticism which comes his way firmly on the chin as well.

Adkins said: “The repercussions are that we lost the game and I know everyone is going to be upset, none moreso than myself. I want us to be pushing on.

“We have had words in the dressing room. But I am not one to be apportioning blame everywhere else – at the end of the day, I am the manager and have got to do as much as I can to get the players performing in the arena to give our supporters something to cheer about.

“At times, we actually passed the ball a bit more than what we have been doing. But it is about winning and we have not won.”

“It is our first (league) defeat away from home since October when we got beaten by Crewe. But we lost and our expectation is to go and win every game.

“As a football club, we must make sure we get ourselves ready for the game at home on Saturday and give ourselves an opportunity to go and win that.

“Because that is where we are now. We need to search for wins, not draws.”