Angry fans and job concern: Matt Hamshaw reacts to the drubbing that saw Rotherham United take another step towards relegation

The injury-plagued visitors fell to a 5-0 defeat that saw the gap between them and third-tier survival stretch to six points, and their insipid performance was just as worrying as the result.

Rotherham were booed off at half-time, when they trailed by two goals against Peterborough United, and also on the final whistle after they had shipped even heavier damage.

“It's been the story of the last few games defensively - individual errors,” Hamshaw said, “That's really, really tough to take. It's tough for the fans to take, it's tough for me to take.

“I appreciate the frustration. We're under difficult circumstances tonight, but we massively let ourselves down.

“I said to the players at half-time: ‘If I was in the stand, I'd be getting on at us because it isn't good enough.’”

The boss said his future was in the hands of the club as he discussed the casualty count that has been a major factor in the slide to 22nd spot during his first year in charge.

The number of absentees already stretched into double figures while Joe Powell and Lino Sousa failed to see out this evening's clash.

“When I took this job I knew it was going to be difficult,” he said. “I knew this season was going to be a tough season. Did I foresee it going like it has? No, I didn't. But we've had too many key players out for too long this season. That's bit us, and it's certainly bit us tonight.”

Rotherham have only nine games left in which to escape the drop zone and that prospect is looking more and more unlikely.

When asked where it had gone wrong against Posh, Hamshaw replied: “I think when the game kicked off. It was a shocking first half, we didn't give ourselves an opportunity. We looked a little bit scared, we looked like we didn't have enough confidence.

“We came out for the second half and had 20 minutes. If we'd scored, it could be different, but then we absolutely just killed ourselves again.”

The Millers conceded three more times after their brief flurry, with Lenny Agbaire and Jamal Baptiste not helping the cause by carelessly giving away penalties. All five of Peterborough's goals were the product of poor defending.

“Look, it's difficult to come out here and defend any player,” Hamshaw said. “You also know what type of bloke I am. I won't be throwing my players under the bus. But at the same time the performance levels have to massively increase. Look, we give a really good Bolton Wanderers team a great game on Saturday (2-2 draw) and then we've produced that.

“There are reasons for that. We've obviously had to change personnel. I've got a really young bench. I've got, I think, 14 first-team players who aren't here. But that still does not legislate for that lack of passion, drive, whatever you call it.”