JIMMY Floyd Hasselbaink said his team lacked their usual intensity as they went down 2-1 to MK Dons.
Albion’s defeat in the opening game of the Papa John’s Trophy came after the manager made six changes.
Albion were the brighter team in the first half, but conceded two after the interval and couldn’t find a way back despite being given a lifeline by an own goal.
Hasselbaink said: “In the second half the intensity dropped and there were things we didn’t do well. We have Aaron Amadi-Holloway playing his first match, Charlie Williams playing his first match, Danny Rowe playing his first match so that’s why we haven’t got the same intensity. Normally that intensity always stays the same and then we kick on.
“They are also very good with the ball, and it was a good learning curve for us tonight. Our players always work hard, and I can’t fault them. If we keep on having that we will win matches.
“We need to keep that organisation and good work off the ball but then work harder when we have the ball, creating opportunities, getting our attackers in good spaces and being better in the final third.
“If we hadn’t didn’t have so many injuries, we might have made more changes, but we are happy with what the players who came in brought for the first 60 minutes. It was always going to be difficult for them after that and we have to look after the players coming back from injuries.”