NORTH Melbourne coach Brad Scott has conceded the two-point loss to West Coast at Blundstone Arena on Saturday was "one that got away".
The Kangaroos led by 35 points midway through the second quarter and looked to have the game in their keeping, before the Eagles rallied to kick eight goals to four in the second half to pinch the win.
Scott said his side let an opportunity to make a statement against a top-four side go begging.
"It was clearly one that got away," Scott said.
"We played some really good footy early and we weren't able to sustain it for long enough."
Scott said he felt his side was not just matching it with a top four side in the Eagles, but were "all over them" at certain stages.
"I thought we were right on top of them for periods of the game," he said.
"I thought we more than just stayed with them, I thought we outplayed them for periods."
The Kangaroos' pressure was exemplary in the first half, as they rushed the Eagles in to some uncharacteristic turnovers.
North Melbourne captain Andrew Swallow said in an interview with Channel 7 at half-time that pressure "was the basis of our game today".
Scott agreed but said changes made by West Coast's coaching panel in the third quarter were "damaging".
"They turned around the clearance and the contested ball area in the second half, so we couldn't play the game our way," he said.
"Their effort in and around the contest was really what got on top of us.
"But the third quarter was the damaging one."
Scott nominated Eagles ruckman Dean Cox as the game breaker and said his influence was sometimes lost around the hype surrounding partner-in-crime Nic Naitanui.
"Dean Cox has just stamped himself again as the premier ruckman of the competition," Scott said.
Scott said that although his team were disappointed to lose in such fashion, it could take heart from the fact it was starting to resemble a finals side.
"I've said it all through the season that we've got to play footy that's worthy of finals, and we're going some way to prove that," he said.
