Matt Jarvis has played 322 first-team matches as a professional footballer, but all that experience does not make defeat in the last minute any easier to take.
Jarvis and his West Ham United colleagues were left deflated after Gareth Bale's late wonder-goal scored Tottenham Hotspur a dramatic 3-2 Barclays Premier League victory at the Boleyn Ground on Monday.
West Ham recovered from a goal down to take the lead just before the hour-mark, only to concede a lead and lose at home for the fifth time this season - four times in the league and once in the Capital One Cup.
"It's sickening to lose when you've played so well and you have a valuable point taken away at the last minute," said the No7. "Bale has turned and stuck one right in the top corner. It's hard to stop that, but we played well and that's why it's hard to take. But we've got to look at the positives that we did play really well, created some great chances and should have got a result."
Despite the disappointment of defeat, Jarvis said the Hammers could be proud of their overall performance against a Spurs side challenging for a UEFA Champions League place.
"We really got in their faces and closed them down to not allow them to play the way we wanted to play. We passed it well, got in behind them, got crosses in and created chances. We really should have got something from the game."
At the other end of the pitch, the winger had words of praise for goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen, who made a succession of outstandnig saves to keep Andre Villas-Boas' team at bay.
"Jussi pulled off some great saves and kept us in it. Obviously they're going to create chances, so when we needed him he pulled off some fantastic saves."
Ultimately, though, neither Jaaskelainen nor Jarvis could do anything about Bale's 90th-minute strike, which arrowed into the top right-hand corner from more than 25 yards out.
As a fellow professional, Jarvis could not hide his admiration for the Wales international, who has now scored nine goals in his previous seven appearances for club and country.
"He can do anything he wants with the ball. When he struck the last one it wobbled everywhere and ended up in the top corner. It's a fantastic strike and sometimes you have to hold your hands up."