Stanley boss John Doolan insisted his side's 4-0 defeat at Doncaster "wasn't for lack of effort".

Hakeeb Adelakun, Joe Ironside, James Maxwell and Owen Bailey were all on target as the Reds failed to build on their victory at Newport in midweek.

“It sounds a bit mad but I asked the lads to start on the front foot and I thought we did for the first five or six minutes, but the first goal goes in and it just puts you on the back foot," Doolan said after the final whistle.

“We concede these early goals and you need a response. It was difficult.

“There was loads of effort. The lads did respond and it was a big day for the full backs and wingers on both teams. We’ve both got good wingers and ours got into some good positions, but they were more effective than us.

“It wasn’t for lack of effort and they just had a bit more quality and that was the deciding moments in the game.

“We’ll draw a line under this one and move onto the next game. We want to pick us as many points as well can in the remaining games.”