NOTTS County will come out fighting against League One leaders Tranmere Rovers after pressing the self-destruct button against Stevenage, says skipper Neal Bishop.
The Magpies threw away a vital three points against their promotion rivals Boro at Meadow Lane on Tuesday night, conceding two late goals to lose 2-1.
Winger Jamal Campbell-Ryce fired Notts 1-0 ahead from the penalty spot midway through the second half, but it all went wrong for them in the closing minutes.
Left-back Alan Sheehan was sent off on 83 minutes for making a save Gordon Banks would have been proud of and Lucas Akins levelled from the penalty spot.
Stevenage sub Robin Shroot then scored in the second minute of injury time to inflict a cruel defeat on Notts and leave boss Keith Curle, his players and fans all shell-shocked.
It is only the Magpies' second league loss this season and they are still in the promotion hunt in fourth place after ten games. But Bishop was still not happy – and insists they must bounce back quickly by beating Tranmere, who are unbeaten and four points clear at the top.
"It was the ultimate kick in the teeth," said Bishop.
"Stevenage only had a couple of long-range efforts in the first half and Bart (Bartosz Bialkowski) made a couple of good saves.
"We controlled the game from the first minute until the last apart from that so to lose it the way we did is hard to take.
"The dressing room was really dejected, but we have got to bounce back quickly because we have got a lot more big games coming up.
"We've got a massive game tomorrow.
"I wish it was sooner to be honest so we could try and put it right."
The Magpies were on a great run before coming unstuck against Stevenage.
They were unbeaten in six league games since losing 1-0 to Walsall on home soil on August 25, claiming three wins against Bury, newly-promoted Shrewsbury Town and Portsmouth and three draws, against Oldham and bigs guns MK Dons and Sheffield United.
Bishop says losing to Stevenage was a worse feeling than the defeat to Walsall because the Magpies had put themselves into such a good position to win for the sixth time this season.
"It feels worse than when we lost to Walsall because we got ourselves into a strong position by taking the lead and we gave away two really poor goals to lose," he said.
"It was not just one player that made a mistake either, but a few, and we can't give away goals like that if we want to be at the right end of the league, challenging for promotion and honours, this season.
"We can't afford to concede two goals like that again – it's as simple as that.
"I'm not pointing fingers at anyone, we win and lose as a team and as a team we have got to defend better than that.
"We have got to put it right straightaway.
"You might get away with it a few times, but most of the time teams will punish us if we defend like that.
"You have to give credit to Stevenage because it was the ultimate away performance from their point of view.
"They sat back for 85 minutes and nicked it.
"It was the ultimate smash and grab.
"Usually when we get in front we hold on and win.
"I think we played good football again and the supporters are starting to see we're a team that is trying to play the right way.
"But that doesn't matter if we don't get the basics right.
"Hard work and defending is as much a part of the game as fancy football."
Notts will certainly have to work hard and defend well to beat Tranmere, who have surprised everyone at the start of this season by winning seven and drawing three of their first ten games to set the pace at the top of the table.
The Magpies are only six points behind them though and Bishop believes they can claw three back tomorrow.
"It's a big game," he said.
"Tranmere are the surprise team and it will be a hard game because they are flying at the top, but we will come out fighting."