91Èȱ¬

Rotherham United boss Steve Evans has asked fans to aim their frustrations at him and not the team as they look to turn their season around.

The Millers had been expected to challenge for promotion after being relegated from the Championship last season but are 17th in League One, four points above the bottom four.

Evans and the team were booed by a number of travelling Rotherham fans after the 2-0 defeat at South Yorkshire rivals Barnsley in their last league game two weeks ago.

"It was as hard as can be but I've always said in this game you have to take those days for all the days you get applause," he told 91Èȱ¬ Radio Sheffield.

"I'm not to going to sit here and criticise one Rotherham supporter who wasn't happy on the night.

"Our levels of performance have not been where they should be and I take responsibility for that.

"I've said to the supporters, leave the players and let them concentrate on finding their form and criticise me.

"I'm the same as everyone else on the planet, everyone has feelings, it will hurt me but I'll take that to get it right here."

The Millers have won just one of their past five league games and were knocked out of the FA Cup by League Two Cheltenham Town earlier this month.

They rank 17th for possession and 22nd for successful passes made in the third tier this season.

Speaking before Saturday's trip to struggling Crawley Town, Evans said he is asking his team to be "braver" on the ball.

"We've used the break to go through videos with the players. We've broke it down to the basics of pass and move," he added.

"We played a practice match here last Saturday morning that was stunning because I demanded that the players be brave and try the pass and to keep possession of the ball.

"When I talk about being brave that's not about elbowing someone off the ball or smacking someone in the tunnel and pretending you're hard, it's taking the ball in tight areas and trying a pass like you would on the training ground or if there wasn't pressure."