Ange Postecoglou could not fault the "enormous efforts" of his Tottenham's players who "gave everything" in the chaotic 4-2 defeat to Brighton at the Amex.
Spurs trailed 4-0 after 75 minutes to a pair of Joao Pedro penalties either side of the interval, sandwiched between fierce strikes by Jack Hinshelwood and Pervis Estupinan - the latter an absolute beauty into the top corner from 30 yards.
But the visitors rallied late on, with substitute Alejo Veliz and Ben Davies pulling back goals to set up a nervy finale on the south coast.
Both sides were missing nine first team players but Spurs suffered more from their absences, with injured centre-backs Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero and suspended midfielder Yves Bissouma particularly missed.
Postecoglou played a back-four made up entirely of full-backs - the latest in a string of patched-up XIs since Spurs began losing players to injuries and suspensions since the start of November.
"It's difficult. It's been difficult this whole run," Postecoglou said.
"We've been stretched for a very long time and we've just tried to play on through it.
"That's what we've done and we're only in the position we are because of the enormous efforts of the players to do jobs that normally is not in their brief but they do it willingly and they give everything.
"For me that's all I can ask for.
"The players have given everything they've got and it's a credit to them. Today we fell short but not for the want of trying.
"I don't make excuses but that doesn't dismiss the enormous efforts of the players, not just today but through this whole period.
"They give everything they have, even today. Everything they had in them physically they gave to this game even though sometimes we weren't as sharp as we have been. It wasn't through the lack of trying and that's what they were doing.
"Right to the end they were pushing. With every resource in them they were pushing to try to get something out of the game and it's a credit to them. We are in that position through as much the players' sheer efforts as our football.
"Fair to say we were looking a bit tired and lacked our usual sharpness, especially at the start of the game. We've been starting games well.
"I guess that's understandable, we've been on this run for a whole now and asking players to perform at levels...
"It's very demanding the way we play physically and today we kind of looked like a team that wasn't at its sharpest. Brighton are a good side and they took advantage of that. Ultimately what I do know is the players everything they had they gave and that's all I can ask for.”
Postecoglou appeared frustrated by referee Jarred Gillet's decision to award Brighton a first-half penalty, dispatched by Pedro, for Dejan Kulusevski's shirt-pull on Danny Welbeck after consulting his pitch-side monitor on advice of the VAR.
"It was obviously clear and obvious because it only took him three minutes to see it on the screen and VAR picked up everything today except the one tackle which nearly cost me another player," said the Australian, referring to a late Lewis Dunk challenge on Kulusevski in the build-up to Veliz's goal. "So that's their decisions."
Kulusevski will miss Bournemouth's visit on New Year's Eve after picking up a fifth yellow card for the foul on Welbeck but Postecoglou hopes the Swede suffered no damage from Dunk's tackle, and he was able to complete the game.
"I think [he's OK], we're checking him out," he said.
