ST KILDA coach Ross Lyon says a combination of defensive turnovers, some classy Port stoppage goals and a lack of midfield contributors cost his side in the 21-point loss to Port Adelaide.

“The first quarter, I thought we were a bit conservative with our ball use,” Lyon said after the match. “And the turnovers were costly. There were three direct turnover goals. Then after that the scoring was equal all the way through.

“We fought on. We won the ground ball, won the tackles. And I thought when we moved the ball quick and we penetrated we had them under some pressure.

“(But) that’s how I’d probably sum it up – some soft turnover goals, allowing some classy stoppage goals. And they just had a bit more weight of numbers through the midfield.

“I thought we had a couple of fantastic players that really battled on – like Lenny Hayes, (Jason) Gram’s second half was pretty significant, Leigh Montagna’s second half, and (Robert) Harvey. But we just lacked some weight of numbers through there I thought, with a couple of our players not at their best tonight.”

Lyon expressed frustration with his players’ inability to kick long and quickly in pressure situations.

“When you handball when you should kick … it’s about decision-making,” he said.

“I ask the question in the box – ‘do we train that’ and the response is ‘no’, and I ask the players ‘do we train that’ and they say no. But sometimes the pressure of games and pressure of the opposition make you do funny things – which we want to eradicate if we’re going to be a top team.”

Lyon said the Saints’ poor record against Port wasn’t a factor. The Saints have now won only one of their last 12 clashes with Port, and not beaten the Power at their home since 1997, the Power’s first year in the competition.

“I don’t think so. It certainly wasn’t in my mindset,” Lyon said. “We respect everyone but we don’t fear anyone.

“At the end of the day we walk away the losers and we have to regroup. We’re 3-3 and they’re 2-4, so it’s not panic stations for us.”