Lions captain issues challenge

The Lions are still on 40 points following Saturday's narrow 1-0 defeat against Leeds United at The Den, and it doesn't get any easier with the next two games against Cardiff City and Hull City.

"Every game is difficult in this league," said Robinson.

"We've got seven big games now - seven big cup finals effectively to make sure we stay in this division and take care of our own form.

"We've just got to get our own points on the board, and until mathematically we're safe, we won't rest or relax, so we'll just make sure that's the case.

"Cardiff are a very good team as we saw in the League Cup final, they've got threats all over, and obviously Kenny Miller will probably be the one we'll be up against up front, so it will be a tough game especially in Wales.

"It will be another good game and atmopshere, and a game we'll be looking forward to.

"We'll be ready for it and the manager always prepares us well."

Inside an electric atmosphere in South Bermondsey, Leeds grabbed the only goal of the game in the second period with a quick counter attack after the Lions had been denied a penalty for what looked like a handball inside the opposition's box.

And Robinson felt his side were unlucky not to have been given a spot-kick moments before when James Henry looked to have been fouled, only to receive a booking for simulation.

"It was frustrating and disappointing because I thought we put in a good home performance, and perhaps deserved a bit more than we got," said the skipper.

"I saw it clearly from where I was and my initial reaction was a penalty at the time.

"I felt that was the referee's initial reaction, but between him and his assistant, they've decided it wasn't a penalty, so we'll just have to get on with it.

"We respect his decision but we're frustrated obviously, and the one penalty decision he did give, it does even up, but that's football and sometimes it works like that.

"We then felt it was a handball and possibly a sending off as well if that's the case.

"That's the horrible thing about football sometimes, it kicks you where it hurts, respectively, so it's hard to take and we were frustrated that we didn't get more from what we gave with the performance.

"These are great games - we love playing here, love the games, love the atmosphere, and it's just frustrating we couldn't reward the fans. We'll just dust ourselve down and move on.

When the referee did point to the spot, it was after striker Andy Keogh had been clearly found inside the box in a central position.

But strike partner Darius Henderson saw his well-placed effort saved by United custodian Andy Lonergan, who got down low to his left to palm the ball away for a corner.

"Darius was not happy with himself because he thinks he's scuffed it a bit, so it's one of them, but he's scored a lot of goals for us this year," said Robinson, who had a header crash back off the crossbar in the second period.

"As a forward, you step up to take the penalty and sometimes he's the hero, but unfortunately the goalkeeper saved it, and then he's the hero.

"It's been a frustrating season and I think we've played better than perhaps what our league position suggests.

"The hardest thing is that we've let points slip through our grasp and we should be in a better position than we are, but we have to take responsibility for that.

"We'll just have to make sure we keep fighting, learn from this season and hopefully stay in this division to improve.

And on that headed effort, the skipper insists he'll take any goal at the moment after going close on a number of occasions throughout the current campaign.

He said: "I was close when I hit the crossbar, so that seems to be the story of my season. I've hit the bar quite a few times this year and had a few off the line.

"I'm not feeling sorry for myself, but I feel frustrated that it could have got us a point. I'll take any goal, even if my backside - that's fine with me."

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