Michael Duff was pleased to see his Huddersfield side fight back from two goals down to rescue a point in a 2-2 League One draw at home to Lincoln, but disappointed that a comeback was even necessary in the first place.
The Terriers had a mountain to climb after Ben House headed home unchallenged and Bailey Cadamarteri’s deflected strike gave Lincoln a two-goal lead at half-time.
But Brodie Spencer pulled one back soon after the break and Northern Ireland team-mate Callum Marshall equalised late on.
Boss Duff said: “It’s a game of two halves. First half we were just slow, lethargic, with the ball, their players have run past our players, we didn’t win first contact.
“Every time the ball went in the air, their centre-half headed it and then their centre-forwards picked it up.
“The second goal is a perfect example, it’s just to throw-in. They win the first contact, they win the second contact, they win a duel, they win a duel, they win a duel and then they play inside us.
“People shouldn’t be able to play inside us. Then two midfielders run past our midfielders – that summed it up.
“But the reaction was good and it’s a point gained after being 2-0 down. But then the weird feeling is that we could have won it and I’m sure (Lincoln manager) Michael (Skubala’s) saying the same thing.
“He’d be disappointed that they’d given up a 2-0 lead, but I think he’ll also know that it could have easily been 3-2 to us.”
Lincoln boss Skubala was indeed left with mixed feelings about the result, saying: “I think everyone can see the first half, I thought we were electric, the lads were fantastic – and then the second half is a tough half to take.
“It’s probably all the cliches: it’s a game of two halves, but when you’re 2-0 up, you want to be able to manage and see your games out.
“This is such a tough place to come against a team who are flying high. They’ve won all of their last seven here.
“I thought we were magnificent in the first half, so there’s disappointment, but I think it’s one of them.
“When you wake up in the morning, it’s a good point on the road and it just feels like we can’t turn points into wins at the minute. But I think in the morning, it’ll probably feel like a good point.
“We keep saying, I don’t think we’ve just put in enough. Even though we’ve done 45 minutes, if you get 65 minutes of that, you’ve probably done enough to win the game.
“I thought first half we could’ve scored again and at 3-0 the game is gone, done.”