Skipper Harrison Keddie admitted the Dragons had been left frustrated by the manner of the narrow derby day defeat to Cardiff Rugby.
Dragons scored four tries in the capital – courtesy of Taylor Davies, Mesake Doge, Rio Dyer and Joe Makysmiw – to secure a try bonus.
But it was two points instead of a full house at the Arms Park as 14-man Cardiff held on to secure a 31-29 success.
Dragons started the game brightly and blasted into a 14-3 lead, but the home side fought back before holding out in a tense final quarter.
“We are all frustrated,” said Keddie. “We were pleased with how we started the game off, in terms of coming around the corner strongly and having a good variety in attack.
”But we then went away from it with our discipline, with penalties in our own half to give points easily.
“We couldn’t stick it in the second half and little things didn’t go our way.
“The penalties we gave away didn’t allow us to get a real buffer going. As soon as got seven they would go and get three or five.
“We never really kept the scoreboard ticking over because they were always right on our heel."
Keddie impressed in the derby as he made his return in the fixture alongside Ollie Griffiths and Ben Fry in the back row.
But his own performance was little consolation on a night that he admitted saw the team leave wondering what could have been.
“You love playing whenever you can, but the main emotion is just being incredibly frustrated,” added Keddie. “It’s a game we should have won.
“After the red card we let things in our game, the breakdown and set piece, get away from us.
“We kept on giving them easy ins to the game and that is a frustration and where we have got to be better.”
The main emotion is just being incredibly frustrated... It’s a game we should have won.
