Neil Cox insists AFC Wimbledon will have recovered from the 3-0 mauling by Southend when they line up to face Bristol Rovers on New Year's Eve.
However, Dons' assistant boss failed to hide his disappointment at the first half hour at Roots Hall as AFC were picked apart by a rampant Shrimpers who could have put the game out of sight by half time.
As it happened, Southend led by just the one goal before a revitalised Wimbledon had a go in the second period only to slide back down the snake when Lyle Taylor was sent off for two bookable offences.
A minute later gaffer Neal Ardley was also sent to the stands to leave Cox facing the media music.
“Every time we’ve had a bit of a disappointing result we’ve had a right good fightback,” he told the club's official website.
“The boys were in there afterwards having a chat about it. We will get them ready and organised so that we are ready to go again for New Year’s Eve.
"We had fantastic support yet again with brilliant travelling (646) fans.
"We are a bit disappointed with the way we played in the first 30 minutes. But we had a right good go and on another day we could have got something from the game.
“We showed a lot of character in the second-half and played a bit more on the front foot. We had nothing to lose and Tyrone (Barnett) came on and caused them problems.
"On another day he could have had a couple of goals, but he was a bit unlucky.
Cox was particularly unhappy at the opening spell when his side were pushed back against the ropes.
“It was the first 20 minutes,” said Neil.
“We did a lot of work on their set-pieces, including defending throw-ins, and we went over it again this morning, but we did not start the game well.
"We got punished from a long throw-in with a flick-on and Simon Cox was left unmarked at the back post. That was really disappointing on the day.”
