The Newcastle Jets have suffered their third consecutive loss after falling 2-1 to A-League leaders Melbourne City at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday.
Coming off a heavy 4-0 away loss last week, the Jets were unlucky not to come away with a draw at home after putting City to the test with some decent attacking raids, especially in the second half.
Jets coach Arthur Papas had called for more aggression from his players during the week and they delivered with a far more spirited display than in recent weeks.
"It was our best performance of the season so far," Papas said.
"Really good intent. We competed for a lot of the fifty-fifties as well... it was the right amount of aggression, right amount of intent, but just bitterly disappointed.
"We can't be satisfied that a performance is strong but also we don't come away with anything.
"I'm disappointed, the players will be disappointed, but like I said some promising things in that performance for sure."
Newcastle fell a goal behind after only 20 minutes following an error from goalkeeper Michael Weier, who attempted to head a ball clear about five metres outside the penalty area but missed it completely to allow Richard van der Venne to roll the ball into the back of the net uncontested.
The mistake was a bitter pill to swallow for the Jets fans among the 7234 in attendance as Newcastle had looked the better side up until that point.
"It's just a poor judgement," Papas said.
"The starting position is good, [but he] doesn't read the flight of the ball - maybe it takes a slight skid off the grass which speeds it up, rather than slows it down.
"Poor goal."
Newcastle were given a reprieve in the 38th minute when City defender Scott Jamieson accidentally scored an own goal.
Jamieson failed to clear a Trent Buhagiar cross from the left, throwing his right leg high into the air and deflecting the ball straight into the top of the net.
City had another couple of opportunities and finished the first half with three of six shots on target.
Four minutes after the break, Weier was forced into another aerial save when van der Venne found space in similar fashion to his first-half goal but the City forward was forced to shoot with his left foot and failed to put it around the keeper.
The Jets had three attacking chances in the next couple of minutes but Kostandinos Grozos blew a chance in front of goal and Buhagiar couldn't get a shot away from the top of the penalty area before City got to the ball.
The stadium fell silent when World Cup-bound Jamie Maclaren put City in front in the 57th minute, scoring off a low cross that Marco Tilio weaved across the front of goal.
It was Maclaren's sixth goal in as many appearances.
Jets forward Rene Piscopo went oh so close to levelling the scores a couple of minutes later when he hit the woodwork off a cracking free kick from just outside and to the left of the penalty area.
City hit the woodwork themselves a few minutes later after Weier just got a hand to a Tilio blaster.
City midfielder Aiden O'Neill was sent off in the 75th minute after collecting a second yellow card, the first of which he picked up only 14 minutes earlier.
The Jets were unable to capitalise on his send off despite a couple of late chances.
