Anna Patten found it difficult to fully articulate the Republic of Ireland's disappointment after their 2-1 World Cup qualifier defeat to the Netherlands in Utrecht, but the defender was crystal clear on one thing: she deserved her penalty.
Patten was caught by Dutch galkeeper Lize Kop five minutes into the second half, referee Frida Klarlund instantly pointing to the spot. Katie McCabe slid it home to equalise before Lineth Beerensteyn bagged her second of the night to win it for the hosts.
Oranje boss Arjan Veurink was so adamant it wasn't a spot-kick he said afterwards: "It's almost like a confirmation that you need technology in the women's game."
Patten saw things differently.
"I did get clattered!" she said after delivering an excellent showing at the heart of the visiting back line.
"Some of the Dutch girls don't think I did but I won the ball and then she came through me so I think the ref made the right decision there. I was definitely surprised when I heard the whistle, but I wasn't complaining."
It was another frustrating night at the office for the Girls in Green. Just as they did against the French, Carla Ward's troops dilligently frustrated vaunted opponents, only to ship an avoidable winner in the closing stages.
Last Tuesday Mervine Malard did the damage; in Utrecht, it was Lineth Beerensteyn.
It was tough to take but Patten was heartened by both performances this week, even if the graft was not rewarded with even one point.
"The great thing about international football is playing against the very best," she added.
"That's what we've done these past two games. If I'm honest, with the performances we've shown, we deserve to be here as well. That's what we really need to take forward going into these two massive games.
"I think the hardest part is the fact that we managed to equalise and we came out so well in the second half and showed what we're about. To hold on, defend really well and concede from a setpiece... it's really frustrating and something we'll reflect on, but I think there's positives to take at the same time.
"We can at points go toe to toe with these nations and we shouldn't fear them. They've probably been surprised. We weren't surprised that we were able to produce those performances. I think we've shown how defensively secure we can be and really present goalscoring opportunities from two very skilled attacking teams."
NETHERLANDS GOAL - Lineth Beerensteyn
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) March 7, 2026
82 mins: Netherlands 2-1 Ireland
From a corner Beerensteyn turns it in.
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This is life at the sharp end of international football. One little lapse comes with a heavy price, but there's plenty take from this double-header from Ireland's point of view. There's a genuine sense that they will scalp a big gun at some point; perhaps when the Dutch come to SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh in June.
For now, they must lick their wounds ahead of April's big double-header against Poland, two games Ward has openly declared as being Ireland's best opoortunties of getting points on the board.
"We're drilled really well, we all know our own roles and each others roles and that switch was seamless enough," Patten said.
"It's a formation that's really working against these teams. I also think although some may look at it as passive, I think we're aggressive when they come into our space and that's the most important thing.
"That Poland camp is one where we definitely are looking at it and know we can take points. Even off the back of these two games, we know that the following camp is massive too. These results, we've lost both of them but we've got to take the positives.
"I also want to shout out our fans in both of these games, they've been incredible. The atmosphere in Tallaght was just beyond, and it's so great that we had so many travelling fans here (200 made the journey). We'll need them all in the Aviva (where Ireland will host the Poles). Let's pack it out."
