“We've had a reasonably young squad. This will put them in good stead in the next few weeks. I just think that unfortunately it was a situation that they were a bit nervous and a little bit inhibited.

“We wanted to play without fear but that didn't transpire – and not just with the youngsters but the older ones to."

He also said that Lawrie McKinna's side were more desperate. “We're deflated. But in saying that, no excuses. They [the Mariners] were very desperate in a lot of areas that we weren't as desperate in.

“We weren't hungry enough in the middle of the park. Perhaps we focused on our defensive more than trying to exploit them a little bit more in behind.”

Van Egmond now has the difficult task of reinvigorating his squad ahead of a very tough Queensland Roar Preliminary Final visit next Sunday.

“It's a difficult one but the most important thing is we stick together. We'll debrief come Wednesday, Thursday and we go again. We've got everything to play for now playing at home in front of 20,000 or so Novocastrians. So I think the boys have everything to play for."

Van Egmond praised both Adam Kwasnik and Mile Jedinak but noted the bad luck his side had with two deflected goals against. He also praised his new signing South Korean Song Jin-hyung who looked impressive in midfield before being taken off in extra time with cramp.