PLYMOUTH Argyle’s miserable run of form continued on Saturday as they slipped to a 4-0 defeat away to Bristol City in the Sky Bet Championship.

Having been thumped 6-1 at Norwich City in midweek, Argyle boss Wayne Rooney was looking for a response of sorts from his players at Ashton Gate.

Sadly, it was another away-day disaster for the former England striker, who can only watch on as Anis Mehmeti (2), Scott Twine and Sinclair Armstrong sealed the points for City.

The loss, Argyle’s ninth of the season, leaves them just a point and a place above the relegation zone.

Afterwards, an embarrassed Rooney gave a frank assessment of his side’s latest outing, saying: “If I’m being honest, it’s a big embarrassment I know the support the fans have given us. They have come here in numbers, it was the same on Tuesday and the same today. It was very difficult walking over (after the game) to show our appreciation to the fans and not feel embarrassed.

“I thought we did OK in the first half and then in the second I could feel them coming at us a bit more and I made changes to try and help us with that. But after we conceded the first goal, the players collapsed. Again, this is not something I haven't told them. They completely collapsed. It was the same at Norwich away, it was the same at Leeds away.

“When you want to have a career in football you need to dig deep at times. It's something I have done many times as a player, but I feel the players showed a real lack of character and lack of fight after we conceded the first goal, and that is very disappointing.”

Just how Rooney goes about addressing Argyle’s form remains to be seen, but already he is setting his sights on this Saturday’s home clash with Oxford United, quickly followed by the visit of Swansea City just three days later.

Not surprisingly, Argyle fans have not been shy in venting their frustrations, all of which have been acknowledged by Rooney himself.

“I could feel the frustration, the anger within the fans, and I get that completely,” he said. “If I was in that stand I probably would be worse, if I'm being honest, from what I have seen the last two games.

“I completely understand it. I'm not hiding away from it. I'm right here, taking it. I have to take it, and the players will have to take that criticism over the next week until we show the fans a performance and a result which they deserve.

“We have to take it. I have been criticised since I was a 16-year-old boy, my whole career, and what you always want is weapons to fight back with. At the minute we have got none, so we have to take it on the chin and hope that we get through this.

“The last two games have been the toughest of my career as a manager, so I need to find a way to get through it, but also to get that message through to the players to make sure I lift them.

“We have got another game next Saturday so a bit of time before then, but I need to make sure I figure out the right way to go about what has happened over the last two games.”