Alex Neil reacts to Preston North End's "unacceptable" performance in FA Cup exit to Doncaster Rovers

Preston boss Alex Neil looks on during his side's defeat to Doncaster

The League One side ran out comfortable 3-1 winners at Deepdale on Sunday, the Lilywhites putting in a dismal display.

John Marquis’ header gave Rovers an early lead with Andrew Hughes heading home an equaliser 10 minutes into the second half.

But PNE couldn’t kick on and conceded two poor goals with Tom Anderson and Mallik Wilks sending the visitors into round four.

“In the year and a half that I’ve been here there’s probably been five or six games that have been unacceptable,” said Neil.

“While they have been very few and far between we certainly had one today.

“We didn’t perform well enough, we didn’t move the ball well enough and we didn’t compete well enough.

“We started brightly, put a couple of corners in and looked quite threatening.

“They then had the breakaway and got the goal which was really poor defending from us.

“They made all the running and the only thing I will say in defence of the lads is that it’s the same team that’s had to churn out their fourth game on the run.

“A lot of those lads hadn’t been playing much prior to that.

“That’s not a defence, because I take full responsibility for today’s performance and the result.

“I’m not going to shy away from that because we all know those players can perform better than that and I think they have done of late.”