Danny Batth insists it is time for Sunderland players to 'stand up and be counted' after letting their fans down again at Cheltenham.
The Black Cats squandered a lead to lose 2-1 against the relegation-threatened Robins at Whaddon Road, making it three damaging defeats on the spin for the Wearsiders.
Managerless Sunderland are heading in the wrong direction and have now won just one of their last eight games, leaving supporters furious at the way their season has hit the skids after going into the New Year as League One leaders.
They head to London to face another struggling side in the shape of AFC Wimbledon this weekend and January addition Batth is under no illusions of the importance of that game.
"I think we have got to reflect first of all which is very important and you have to do, say and work incredibly hard," said the former Stoke City defender.
"You have to work so much harder when momentum is against you and I think that is important.
"We have to travel back, recover right, eat right and prepare, looking forward to the next game now and learn valuable lessons.
"It's a case of repaying the supporters for their incredible support.
"The support has been incredible so far despite the results.
"We have to dig deep, stand up and be counted, and repay that because we are so lucky and it’s a privilege to play for the club.
"That is the reason I came here because I want to take the club in the right direction.
"We have to reflect, pull together as a group and come through the other end.
"Since I've come, I've not been here a long time, but I can't say how much about how well they've done, and likewise the staff standing in [interim bosses Mike Dodds and Michael Proctor].
"They have set us up and done everything right off the pitch and given us every opportunity to get a result and obviously we haven't done that at Cheltenham.
"As players we are at the forefront of it and we have to react now, do the right thing and get a big result for this club.
"I think every game is a big game when you are chasing promotion and every point is valuable.
"We have to go into every game with the mentality where first of all we don’t get beat but try and take the three points."
Following the 6-0 thrashing at Bolton and the home defeat against basement side Doncaster at the weekend, Sunderland handed January signings Trai Hume, Jay Matete and Jack Clarke their debuts at Cheltenham, and they were among the Black Cats' better players on a dismal evening.
Batth said: "Obviously it’s tough for the young lads at the moment but they are good players and they can handle it.
"It won't be my first period of bad results, I know how to get through it and the luck will turn.
"There is nothing more to be said, you don't want to be overtalking it and overhyping it, I think the main thing is the lads have to look at the goals [conceded].
"They were both fortunate and we have to react."
Sunderland's first half performance was promising and they led at the break through Alex Pritchard's brilliant free-kick.
But in the second period they went into their shells and Cheltenham put them under pressure, with Elliott Bonds and Alfie May scoring deflected goals in the final half-hour to turn the game around.
Batth said: "I think it was a good performance first half, and second half - with a bit of fortune - they have obviously got a result.
"We have to look at it and improve and reflect as a group of players and have to stand up and be counted.
"Every game is important and today is obviously a case of us getting on the wrong side of a result we didn’t foresee.
Of the goals Sunderland conceded, Batth added: "I think in the second half the wind was blowing and they were sashing the ball forward and playing off seconds.
"You can't really underestimate how big the deflections were, and Patto [goalkeeper Anthony Patterson] has come back in and I thought he was brilliant all the way through the game.
"He didn't deserve to concede two goals.
"Trai [Hume] as well, that was his full debut so it was a good performance from him in terms of what he brought to the team.
"It's a tough time at the moment so we have to pull together and muster a big performance now."
For the latest Sunderland news direct to your inbox, go here to sign up to our free newsletter
