Potters Bar Town may have seen their run of five games without defeat come to an end at Billericay Town but manager Max Mitchell was still reflecting on the positives.
Brandon Adams had put the Scholars in front four minutes into the second half but the home side hit back nine minutes later with an Alfie Cerulli equaliser.
And in the end an own goal in stoppage time by Rickie Hayles handed the Blues a 2-1 win, leaving Bar 16th in the Isthmian League Premier Division.
This was only their second loss in the league though since the beginning of September and the run of success has helped transform the positivity around the club.
Mitchell said: "I told the players to lift their heads up, I thought we were excellent.
"We've been really good in term of our performances over the last five games and we've gone toe-to-to with a good side and a relentless side.
"I thought it was a game of two halves. We were probably the aggressor in the first half and second half it was more Billericay.
"We had a great chance at 1-0 to finish them off and we didn't take it.
"They played their percentages and worked that well and found the win in the end but there were huge positives.
"The game really opened up and even in the second half, we stood up to them and go
"It was frustrating that there were a few decisions that we felt didn't go our way and that allowed that to gain a lot of momentum and a lot of confidence.
"That can happen away from home.
"We've got three points from six over the Christmas period and we could have had more but we'll settle for three and have to lift ourselves up again."
The game did come at a price though.
"We're a little bit walking wounded," admitted the boss. "We had to make a change just before half-time for George [Abbott].
"He was excellent, had a great start but unfortunately had to come off with an injured ankle, that forced one change and we brought Valckx Fernandes on.
"Isaac [Currie] took a tumble and looked a little concussed and Darnell [Goather-Braithwaite] picked up a little knock.
"We've had a few with illness, Max Jessop and Brandon and Brandon played at 60 per cent.
"That's just what happens over the Christmas period unfortunately.
"We'll have to assess it, speak to [our physio] Shereen and make sure we're fit and ready to go on Thursday [at training].
"But you get these knocks and you have to pick yourself up."
Potters Bar get until Saturday to lick their wounds before two home games, starting on Saturday against Carshalton Athletic.
It is the former that occupies the boss's mind though.
"It's the next game and the biggest game is always your next one," he said.
"We go back to back at home against Carshalton and then Hashtag and we understand the way we need to play a team like Carshalton.
"If we give as much as we have over the last few games, I can see us getting a positive result."
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