Matt Toomua described it as a "dog's breakfast" as the ACT Brumbies lamented missed opportunities in a grinding 20-3 win against the Free State Cheetahs on Saturday night.
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But coach Stephen Larkham says the team won't dwell on a less than perfect display of rugby as the Brumbies edged closer to breaking a 17-year-old winning record in Canberra.
The Brumbies have won their past 11 games at home and need just one more victory to equal a record set between 1996-98 in establishing Canberra Stadium as a fortress.
They scored two tries to none to topple the South African visitors and the scoreline was convincing, but it could have been so much better had the Brumbies managed to take all of their chances.
They lacked a clinical edge at the crucial moments, robbing themselves off a potential four-try bonus-point win after either dropping the ball or being held up over the line six times.
"It was a bit of a dog's breakfast. We were a bit scrappy, but looking for positives sometimes the defence picks up the slack and only leaking three points," Toomua said.
"We got to our last options but we were so poor. We were making initial breaks, we were disappointed but we know we can go further.
"At least four or five tries, we deserved a bonus point, we had the opportunity and we didn't do that. We have to be more clinical, but not many teams keep the Cheetahs to three points. In the end the job's done and we'll move forward."
The Brumbies looked like they were going to thrash the Cheetahs when Christian Lealiifano brushed off some flimsy defence to score the first try after just three minutes.
Moments later they were over the line again, but Toomua was denied a try when referee Ben O'Keeffe ruled that the playmaker had rolled over to score the try after being tackled.
Larkham conceded the Brumbies were far from their best.
"Grinding out a win is always pleasing, a win in any circumstance is always pleasing," Larkham said.
"I guess we haven't played our best football this year, but each game we learn lessons and we come back for the next game.
"We're pretty good at learning lessons, we certainly don't want to get carried away and be upset with the performance [against the Cheetahs]. I think everything's pointing in the right direction."
Former Wallabies captain David Pocock was strong in his first 80-minute effort since injuring his ankle in the opening game of the season.
Starting debutants James Dargaville and Blake Enever were also impressive, with Enever sealing the Brumbies' win with a try from close range in the second half.
The game failed to reach any great heighs as both teams struggled to build any momentum, but Henry Speight made the most of his midfield switch to replace Tevita Kuridrani at outside centre.
But while Speight was the bright spark of the back line, he was guilty of being over eager on two different occasions with the Brumbies dropping the ball over the line when a try was up for grabs.
The build up to the Brumbies match was hampered by the Wallabies' mid-year camp in Brisbane, taking 12 players and Larkham away from training for four days.
It limited the Brumbies to just three training sessions as a team since their loss to the NSW WAratahs two weeks ago.
The 17-point margin was convincing and the Brumbies were never seriously challenged, but they acknowledged they need to improve ahead of a clash against the Auckland Blues in New Zealand on Friday night.
Former Wallabies centre Rod Kafer feared the tight win could come back to bite the Brumbies at the end of the year when bonus points are critical in the run to the play-offs.
"I think you can be disappointed with a win. In seasons gone past the Brumbies have missed the finals because they lacked bonus points and I suspect they will be disappointed with this," Kafer said.
Brumbies skipper Stephen Moore said: "Sometimes you get over the line a lot and you don't get the tries, tonight was one of those nights.
"We've just got to move on pretty quick, we've got the Blues, a short week and we've got to recover well because they'll be a tough game."
AT A GLANCE
ACT BRUMBIES 20 (Christian Lealiifano, Blake Enever tries; Christian Lealiifano 2 conversions, 2 penalties) bt FREE STATE CHEETAHS 3 (Joe Pietersen penalty) at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night. Referee: Ben O'Keeffe. Crowd: 10.855.
