Manager Shaun Derry described Notts County’s performance in the seven-goal thriller with Peterborough United as ‘unbelievable’.
Notts made a fantastic start to the game with two goals inside the opening seven minutes from Enoch Showunmi and Ronan Murray.
However, Murray was red carded in the 16th minute for a punch to Danny Swanson.
This tipped the game on its head and Peterborough were able to fight back through a Nicky Ajose double and another from Britt Assombalonga.
Against the odds, Jack Grealish made it 3-3 in the 76th minute but Ajose completed his hat-trick to give Posh maximum points.
Although disappointed with the dismissal and a first defeat of 2014, Derry was proud of his side.
He told the press: “[The red card] wasn’t in the script obviously and I don’t know what to say after that, you have a game plan and it went to plan for the first 10-15 minutes.
“I said ‘start well, start quick and in their face’ to put them on the back foot and we did that but then we pressed the self-destruct button, which has been pressed too many times this season.
“Again, it comes back to hurt us but I’m not going to berate young Ronan because out of everybody he’s been absolutely top drawer until last night.
“But it’s a valuable lesson he’s got to learn has a young kid, he’s let everyone down and himself down more than anyone because he’s a proper pro and to do that is not in his character.
“He’s done it and it’s cost us dearly and I’m bitterly disappointed.”
He added: “If you look at the 13 other lads that played a part in the game I think every Notts County fan that made the trip and listened on the radio will understand that was an unbelievable performance that we put in – an unbelievable performance against a very good team.
“I think if we hadn’t lost Ronan, we’d have left there three points better off.”
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