Tyrone Mings was left to reflect on a “bitterly disappointing day” as Aston Villa fell to a 4-0 defeat at Newcastle United.
Callum Wilson fired the home side ahead from the penalty spot in the sixth minute of first-half injury time.
But it was three goals in 11 second-half minutes which did the damage and ended any hopes Villa had of getting back into the contest, Wilson heading in a second before Joelinton and Miguel Almiron also got on the scoresheet.
And centre-back Mings cut a dejected figure upon defeat on Tyneside.
“I think we were in the game for large spells, obviously we know what it’s going to be like coming here, it’s a very difficult place to come,” he told VillaTV.
“But after last week, full of belief, full of confidence, we felt like we could cause them problems.
“The penalty is so unlucky, but coming out for the second half we knew we had to stay in the game, we had to be hard to beat, we had to be hard to break down.
“And we weren’t; so we thoroughly deserve what we got.”
Mings added: “It was never going to be easy, but if you go 2-0 down and you still want to chase a goal, I think it shows naivety, you can’t concede so many goals in a quick spell like that.
“It’s basics, like I say, you come away from home and you have to be hard to beat, you have to be hard to break down, you have to fight, you have to do all the ugly things.
“That’s not me pinning any blame on anyone, I think we win together and we lose together.
“It’s a bitterly disappointing day.”
