Brian Horton was far from happy despite watching his Port Vale side produce a stirring come back from two down to snatch a point in a 2-2 draw at Stockport.
Two goals down with eight minutes to go left Vale looking like they would be leaving Edgeley Park empty handed.
Billy Paynter and Sam Collins scored late goals and Paynter might even have won the match for the Valiants deep into stoppage time.
Vale manager Horton was more concerned with what had happened earlier in the match.
He said: "Were we like amateurs in the first half and I felt let down.
"We cannot afford to start off like that if we want to achieve anything. We were like no hopers.
"We couldn't be any worse in the second half and we had to give our supporters something to shout about." Horton admitted James Goodwin's sending off midway through the second half was a turning point in the match.
That was reinforced by Stockport manager Carlton Palmer who made a scathing attack on his midfield player.
He said: "We were totally in control of the game until the sending off which was a definite red card.
"It was a disgraceful tackle which cost us dearly. Jim will be fined two weeks wages, will miss three matches and have to work damned hard to get back into the side.
"A point against a top side in the cold light of day may be deemed as satisfactory. But for 60 minutes we played as well as we have done for a long time and deserved the win." Luke Beckett headed Stockport in front after 76 seconds with midfield player Kevin Ellison doubling their lead shortly before the break through an opportunist strike.
Stockport were unlucky not to add a third goal early in the second half when Rob Clare's header was ruled offside, a decision on which mystified Palmer.