Hamilton boss Brian Rice admits he can't explain the 20 minute spell that allowed Aberdeen to score four goals last night.
The Dons were 4-1 up and cruising at the interval through a Ryan Edmondson double and strikes from Tommie Hoban and Lewis Ferguson.
Hamilton pulled one back through David Moyo's first goal of the season, before Ross Callachan added a second from the spot in and improved second period showing.
Rice concedes he finds it hard to explain how the Dons were allowed to run riot at Pittodrie, while praising the improved second half showing.
"It was a twenty minute spell where we lost the game," Rice told Accies TV.
"We started the game okay, first 15 minutes, and then the next 20 minutes I don't know what happened.
"We gave ourselves an absolute mountain to climb.
"No disrespect to Aberdeen, they scored a couple of really good goals, but I think a couple of them were really avoidable and really sloppy from us.
"We started to climb that mountain and, I must say, second half was the best we've played all season by a long way."
With a mounting injury list, Rice declined to use the woes as an excuse for the recent slump in form.
With the likes of key man David Templeton and starlet Kyle Munro out of action, rock-bottom Accies travel to fellow strugglers St Mirren on Saturday.
He said: "It's obviously had an effect, but it's not an excuse.
"You can't come here and be 4-0 down and expect to take something out the game.
"But we've got to take heart from the second half and take that forward.
"David Templeton has got a serious groin problem, which will keep him out a while. I don't know how long.
"Kyle Munro has fractured his wrist. He will be in plaster, so he's going to be out a length of time as well."
He added: "Every game is a big game for us and we go into Saturday knowing we've got to take the three points - and that's what we'll try and do."
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