Bendigo City didn't get the three points, but a proud coach Greg Thomas was pleased with how his side performed against State League Five runaway leader Lara United.
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Bendigo City grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first half, but the home side showed its class by scoring three unanswered goals to win 3-1 - Lara's 12th win from as many games this season.
"We were good for the first half and probably had the chances to go a couple of goals up,'' Thomas said.
"When we did score to go 1-0 up we conceded a goal straight after it and that took away our momentum, which was disappointing.
"Considering the players we had missing across our two squads it was a pretty good performance from the club in general.
"Lara is very hard to beat, particularly at home. The pitch is small and it doesn't suit the way we want to play.
"We had to adjust to that and Lara just knows how to win games there. They also have their 12th man, which is their crowd. They're very vocal and that really helps them a lot.
"I thought we could hold our heads high, it was a pretty good effort."
Bendigo City's goal came via a brilliant strike from just outside the box from winger Lewis Merriman.
After Lara United drew level a short time later, scores remained 1-1 until midway through the second half when the home side pounced to lead 2-1.
Bendigo City threw players forward in the final 15 minutes in a bid to score the equaliser, but Lara United killed the game with their goal late in the contest.
"Goals change games and if we could have gone into half-time a couple of goals up it would have been a different story,'' Thomas said.
"Even when it was 1-1 we thought the next goal would win the game and, unfortunately, a scrappy goal fell to them.
"Everyone was flat after the game because we wanted to be the first team to knock them off."
Merriman and young defender Ollie Walker were the standout players for Bendigo City.
"Ollie is only 17, so for him to play in that kind of game in front of a very vocal crowd was fantastic,'' Thomas said.
"He stepped up and has taken his chance and he fully deserves his spot."
The result left Bendigo City in seventh place on the table - 11 points behind second-place Deakin University in the race for promotion.
Six of the club's final eight games are at home - starting with this Saturday's clash against Wyndham City.
"Promotion is going to be really difficult now, but we have a lot of home games coming up and we probably need to win every game to have any chance of promotion,'' Thomas said.
"We'll keep battling away and we want to finish as high up the ladder as possible."
