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DOWN AND OUT: Key midfielder Sam Alsop went off with a suspected broken wrist during Monday's 2-1 defeat to Yate Town.

DUANE Darby blasted his Bromsgrove Rovers players after a nightmare Bank Holiday weekend - and admitted he may have to play a bigger role in their BGB Premier Division survival bid than first expected.

Rovers have fallen into serious danger of an immediate return to the BGB Midlands One after two defeats in three days.

The Greens began the Easter period with a disastrous 4-0 defeat at Bashley on Saturday, before squandering a lead in a 2-1 loss against Yate Town in the Bank Holiday Monday clash at the Victoria Ground.

To compound their misery, key midfielder Sam Alsop was taken to hospital, after bowing out of Monday's defeat, with a suspected broken wrist.

And Darby branded the weekend to forget as a "disgrace".

He said: "At Bashley we were an absolute disgrace, and to put on a performance like we did is just unacceptable.

"I apologise to all of the fans that travelled down.

"There were not a lot of plusses to take out of the game.

"But the only thing about it was there was another game as quickly as today (Monday).

"Within 48 hours we are playing again to get that out of our system.

"People have got to take a hard long look at themselves.

"If they are not ready to scrap, fight and battle for the club then they might as well not be here.

"If we play like we did in the second-half (against Yate) and against Bashley then I think some of them are playing to go down, because that is what will happen.

"We are in a scrap and we need people who are going to wear the shirt with pride.

"You can do what you want to do on the training field but you can't put that thing under the shirt.

"At the moment we need people with big hearts here."

After making a scoring return for the Greens' Central Conference reserve team in their 4-1 win over Hednesford last week, Darby made his full debut for the club with a ten minute cameo against Yate.

The caretaker boss had planned to use himself sparingly while regaining fitness.

But with a crucial run in, beginning with the must-win game at already relegated Cheshunt a week on Saturday, Darby is rethinking his plans.

He believes his presence may be required to "rev up" his misfiring troops.

"I am going to have to play a bigger part than I thought," added Darby.

"When I came here I thought I could get away with this season.

"Now unfortunately that is not the case.

"There is no way I am fit enough to last a game. I am way, way off the pace for that.

"People at Bromsgrove aren't going to see the best of Duane Darby until next season.

"But I am going to have to go out there and give a performance to make sure we stay in this league.

"If it means me going out and doing what I can to get the players revved up then I will do that."

Darby is expected to turn out for the reserve side again tonight (Wednesday) when they travel to Worcester City.

9:51am Wednesday 26th March 2008

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