Frustrated manager Gary Johnson admitted that poor team defending cost his side as Cheltenham Town fell to a 4-1 defeat at Stevenage on New Year's Day.
Mo Eisa's second minute opener got the Robins off to a brilliant start but the hosts turned it around as Matt Godden and Tom Pett netted to give Boro the lead at half-time.
Danny Newton and Pett added two more for Stevenage despite a positive start to the second half for Cheltenham, to confirm a disappointing defeat at The Lamex Stadium.
"At one nil up I thought after 15 minutes it was a very good start but we got progressively worse after that once they got their goal," said Johnson.
"They were very clever at breaking the game up and we weren't very clever in trying to get the game going again.
"The quality on the day was poor and we did get the chances like when Dawson went in and could have made it two after eight minutes and then we hit the crossbar with a header from Boyle."
Despite missing some key chances, Johnson admitted that the home side deserved the victory.
"They deserved it on the day and fought their way back and by that point we were a very poor team," he said.
"It was very poor team defending, we were picking the wrong options whether that be from a throw in, running with a player, stepping off a player or marking him."
"Those very poor decisions on the day cost us four goals."