Leeds United defender Luke Ayling says conceding the first goal again 'killed' his side in their 2-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest.
Sammy Ameobi's 31st minute strike paved the way for Leeds' fourth Championship defeat from their last five games, as Marcelo Bielsa's side were unable to find a response, conceding a second in dying moments when they were undone on the counter.
With those in the chasing pack all winning, the gap to third has been cut from an 11-point high in December to mere goal difference going into the final third of the season.
After boasting one of the best defensive records in the country before Christmas, Leeds have now conceded first in nine of their last ten games and Ayling knows this is a bad habit that Leeds must get out of.
"I think we started well then the first goal killed us," he said following the defeat. "I don't think we've scored the first goal in a game for a long time now. We're always playing catch up in games at the minute and that has certainly got to stop. We played some nice football up to a point but no cutting edge again. Same old story."
A clearly dejected Ayling admitted that the mood in the dressing room reflected that of the fans.
"Right now I don't think they'll be much said in that dressing room," he continued. "The boys are off doing their own things, ice baths and all that so we want to go home and come back in tomorrow and start again.
"We've got a huge game Tuesday in a really tricky place. It won't get swept under the carpet but I think it's now about making sure the group is together and going again for Tuesday."
Tuesday sees Leeds take on Brentford at Griffin Park - a ground they have not won at since August 1950 and was the scene of a bruising defeat in last season's run-in.
But despite what is a now a serious nosedive in form, Ayling insists hard work will get Leeds out of their current rut.
"We're doing the same thing in training, doing all the stuff that we did at the start of the season but things aren't dropping for us and the form isn't good enough at the minute.
"No beating around the bush, it's just not good enough. The boys will keep working hard. One thing that people can say about this group is that we keep working hard, but that's good enough, but the qualities got to start coming back, so hopefully it can."
