To be honest, it wasn't even that weak.
It was arguably our strongest available midfield.
Mills has played well on several occasions this season and started in preference to Harding on a few occasions.
Barnard and Connolly are hardly sub-standard for League One. Obviously Lambert is in our strongest 11 but I doubt there are many professionals in world football who have spent more minutes on the pitch this season.
So that leaves Martin, who apparently played pretty well. Presumably because he had something to prove.