Dunfermline boss James McPake blasted his side after they were on the wrong end of a Premier Sports Cup shock against Forfar Athletic.
The Loons plundered a surprise 2-0 victory from their visit to East End Park thanks to goals in either half from Russell McLean and Mark Whatley.
Boos rained down from the home supporters at half-time and again after the final whistle as the Pars turned in a lacklustre and slipshod display following Saturday’s 3-0 victory over The Spartans.
It leaves them up against it in trying to reach the knock-out stages as they prepare to travel to Livingston on Saturday.
And McPake has confessed the Fifers did not deserve anything from a desperately poor 90 minutes as he singled out the team’s more experienced players.
He said: “There were some honest and harsh words said in the dressing room. I’m never going to say what was said but it certainly wasn’t pleasant.
“We were nowhere near good enough. Senior experienced players let the younger ones down.
“And we all need to collectively look at that performance.
“Forfar made it hard for us. They were well set up and sat in that deep block, but when they had the ball they were better than us. They caused us more of a threat.
McPake: ‘It’s obviously a concern’
“The first shot we had that worked their goalkeeper was on 45 minutes and that’s unacceptable.
“I think people could tell I wasn’t overly pleased with the performance on Saturday, and that [tonight] was the reason why.
“When you get a performance like that, it’s obviously a concern. Performance levels are a concern and the mistakes and getting outfought as well.
“You can have bad days where your team’s not good enough or the other team frustrates you.
“But we got bullied tonight – and I’ve never said that about this team.”
The first indication a shock could be on the cards came with the opening goal in the 28th minute.
Deniz Mehmet only pushed a Mitchell Taylor shot back into the danger area and, when Blair Malcolm’s follow-up shot was repelled, McLean lashed into the roof of the net from eight yards.
A change of shape to a back four helped the Pars push for an equaliser before the break. But Aaron Comrie volleyed over before Marc McCallum brilliantly palmed away a Lewis McCann shot.
Kyle Benedictus should have levelled with a header in the 52nd minute. And, moments later, a poor kick-out from Deniz Mehmet was seized on by Forfar and Whatley rifled in a second.
McPake vowed: “You can work on it, you can speak about it, you can show it. But we’ll be ready for the weekend.”
