"We just couldn't hold it together," he said. "We weren't there to play, at all."

Pettit said that he really can't pinpoint exactly what went wrong on Sunday afternoon. Whether it was the warmer weather, the later than scheduled start or just a feeling that the finals were not in doubt all contributed to a feeling of the disappointment for the coach who had only a week earlier said that the Bears had played their best game ever.

St Pat's, to their credit, began an attacking game from the onset and certainly had a point to prove for their second last game of the season.

The Bears spent the first 15 minutes of the first half defending the line against a persistant and determined St Pat's attack that resulted in two early tries by Josh Hanrahan.

Those two tries were countered by Wylie Sutton who crossed in the corner but that wasn't enough to slow St Pat's onslaught. That constant defence weakened the Bears resolve.

"When you're defending too much, by the time you get the ball you're gassed out a bit and start dropping the ball, things like that," Pettit said.

When the Bears got the ball though their skills shone through, but those moments were few and far between.

"We really couldn't string them together," Pettit said.

This Sunday the Bears were lined up to play Orange Hawks at Wade Park, but like many clubs the Hawks are struggling for players and have forfeited the match.

At third place on the ladder the Bears only have one crack at the finals spot and Pettit is hoping that any complacency that may have crept in last Sunday is well and truly washed away.

"You rarely get an easy win," he said. "Every game from now on has to be a win."