Northampton Town manager Dean Austin was disappointed as he reflected on the 2-0 defeat at Port Vale.
"It was a very frustrating afternoon," he said.
"We started off a little nervy but we grew into the game. We created two excellent chances in the first half and we couldn’t quite take them. We then conceded a poor goal and it was tough for us from then on but we were in the game until the red card.
"The red card certainly made life hard for us. I was particularly disappointed with the first booking for Aaron Pierre. I have watched it back and I really can't see what a yellow card was given for but chasing the game with ten men is always difficult.
"We are not making teams work hard enough to score against us at the moment. Some of the goals we are conceding are too easy and we have got to be able to be dogged and be able to compete and to stick in games. We do need more devilment in us. It is tough times at the moment but who is going to get us out of this? It can only be us.
"We are working hard and preparing as well as we can and we will keep doing that. We need a break and we need to be more ruthless. We weren't great in the first half today but we still created two excellent chances to score.
"We need the first goal in a game, that is very important for us at the moment and it didn't come today.
"We should have Leon Barnett back next week and we are hopeful on Shaun McWilliams but we will have to wait and see on him. Daniel Powell started running late in the week and that is good news but he might be a few weeks away yet."