Boro's EFL Cup exit 'unacceptable', says Edwards

Rob Edwards has managed three different clubs in the Championship

Middlesbrough head coach Rob Edwards has said the manner of their Carabao Cup exit to League One side Doncaster Rovers was "unacceptable".

Boro were thrashed 4-0 at the Riverside by a Doncaster team that had changed all 11 players from their previous league game.

Edwards had seen his team win their opening Championship game with Swansea City on Saturday, but they were deservedly beaten by Rovers.

"I couldn't see that coming," Edwards told BBC Radio Tees. "It was a really painful night.

"The players know how we feel. Doncaster came here and played well but had a whole team of changes and deservedly won the game. That's not acceptable."

Edwards said that the result had not changed his thinking about what needs to happen with his squad, but it has highlighted a problem he feels Boro have struggled to shake in recent seasons - inconsistency - going into their trip to Millwall on Saturday.

"We know we need to show the face, the side of us that we saw on Saturday," he said.

"Probably over a period of time here there has been too much inconsistency and what we've seen tonight is a real drop-off that we can't have."