Dundee United manager Mixu Paatelainen admitted he had hoped for more from his team as they lost 1-0 to Aberdeen last night.
United conceded on 29 minutes when Dons striker Simon Church headed the ball home and didn’t quite do enough to get back on level terms.
It was a missed opportunity to close the gap on second-bottom Kilmarnock to five points with a game in hand.
Paatelainen, while not getting too downbeat, still would have liked his players to have run the visitors closer.
He said: “I thought it was an exciting match.
“They had a wonderful cross for their goal but it was poor defending from us.
“Then both teams had chances to score but unfortunately for us it wasn’t to be.
“I think we should have – and could have played better.
“I thought we started sluggishly and they were off the mark really sharply and put us under pressure.
“In the second half we looked dangerous on a couple of occasions.
“Yes, we would and should have done more but that’s way it goes.
“You don’t always get brilliant performances.
“You just need to realise why and move on.
“Listen, I don’t think anyone anticipated us to win every match from a couple of weeks ago right up to the end of the season.
“So it’s stays at eight points of a gap and we still have plenty to play for.
“Now we get ready for Saturday and it’s won’t be easy against Ross County in the cup.”