Legendary Tottenham Hotspur manager Bill Nicholson once famously said that "it is better to fail aiming high than to succeed aiming low and we of Spurs have set our sights very high, so that even failure will have in it an echo of glory".
Whether Welwyn Garden City's players and staff have that same feeling after Saturday's 4-3 Southern League Division One Central loss at home to Thame United remains to be seen.
But one thing is for sure, their determined attempts to turn one point into three in the final minute of stoppage time badly backfired on them.
As the game entered the last of five minutes of added time, manager Marc Weatherstone threw all his big guns forward, including both central defenders, for a free-kick from inside WGC’s own half.
Alex Harris, who had a very solid game throughout, was wayward with his delivery though and Thame picked it off.
They countered through experienced midfielder Matt Harriott and after switching passes he delivered to the back post.
The ball slipped under the foot of the retreating Harris and allowed 44-year-old veteran striker Jefferson Louis to fire in the winner.
They was time to restart but nothing else as second from bottom Thame rejoiced in a crucial victory.
Welwyn's players meanwhile, dropped to their knees as their superb run of six wins from seven was broken.
This was a game in which WGC never managed to subdue a new look Thame, who included a quartet of new players signed last week, including Louis for his fourth spell with the club.
The Citizens were struck a blow in the warm-up, midfielder Jack Vasey injuring a muscle and being replaced by the experienced James Mulley in the starting line-up.
They began in lively fashion though, James Kaloczi heading straight at Thame keeper Archie Davis in five minutes and Dernell Wynter diverting a header over from Bailey Stevenson’s cross.
Thame netted in 12 minutes through the predatory Louis but the flag was already up for offside.
WGC poached the lead on 22 minutes.
Stevenson, a constant danger down the right, outstripped young full-back Oscar Lucey and crossed, and while Wynter completely missed his kick, Cyrus Babaie spared his blushes by coming in behind and curling a low effort beyond Davis.
They held the lead for 13 minutes before Josh Bryant lost possession down the left, allowing Harry Riley to cross for Lucey to shoot low past Charlie Crowley, with the aid of a deflection off Kaloczi.
Four minutes from the interval, WGC had a real let-off, when Kaloczi’s badly misplaced pass was intercepted and Louis was put clean through on goal, only to shoot wide.
Three minutes after the restart, Crowley was called into action to turn away a Harry Alexander effort in fine style.
But WGC responded. Harris’s quick throw sent Stevenson away but his cross was put high over the bar by Gucci Soulya-Osekanongo.
The Citizens had another major escape, when Wynter crucially lost control in midfield and Thame struck to put striker Ryan Knight clean through, but again a visiting frontman missed a golden opportunity, shooting wide.
WGC made them pay, albeit briefly.
Skipper Brad Wadkins sent Stevenson off down the right and his cross was headed home at the back post by Babaie, his ninth in the last eight league games.
Two minutes later it was 2-2, Harry Alexander's dipping effort beating Crowley from 25 yards.
And the Oxfordshire strugglers got into the lead for the first time on 72 minutes, Knight outpacing the Welwyn defence and making no mistake this time.
But, just as the visitors had before them, WGC responded within two minutes.
A right-wing corner found Kaloczi pulling away. His header was towards goal and Wadkins beat Davis on the line, getting the final touch for 3-3.
Maybe the Citizens should have pushed back from the table but that is not in their nature.
This time it cost them.
WGC: Crowley, Harris, Kaloczi, Steele, Bryant, Mulley (Jordan 83), Soulya-Osekanongo, Wadkins, Stevenson, Wynter (Jones 75), Babaie.
Subs (not used): Baker, Kirwan.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here