Despite the result against Lincoln, assistant manager Lee Nogan walked into the press conference with a smile on his face today, a sign of his positive attitude that one hopes can rub off onto the players after a difficult weekend.
An uncharacteristic lack of discipline and organisation in the Vale's defence from Lincoln's set pieces opened the door wide open for the Imps to go home back to Lincolnshire with six goals, five of which coming from set pieces, and three very good points.
A difficult result to swallow but Lee Nogan is determined to not allow the players to fixate on the result and wants them to get it out their system, as they look ahead to tomorrows Checkatrade fixture against Middlesbrough, followed by Oldham away in the league on Saturday.
"You try and get the players up for training, there's no good being down. Yes they're disappointed but we've got a game tomorrow night against Middlesbrough and we need to have a response.
"From my point of view you've got to move on. If we're beaten 1-0 it's the same result, yes it hurts and Neil takes everything to heart but we all feel the result. We're all disappointed.
"What's the point dwelling on it? We don't dwell on the wins, we don't dwell on the draws we just look forward to the next game and the players have to respond."
With a home fixture against Middlesbrough U21s just days after the defeat, Lee Nogan has admitted he is glad the Vale have another game so soon after Saturday and don't have to wait too long for the next one.
The Checkatrade fixture against Boro presents Neil Aspin and Lee Nogan with an opporunity to rotate the squad and move on from the defeat. Last weeks win over Burton Albion allowed the likes of Theo Vassell, Idris Kanu and Sam Hornby to show the management staff what they can do on the pitch.
Heading into their second fixture in the competition, Lee Nogan insists it's a one that they're taking seriously and hopes to go far in it, and emphasises the importance of his senior players for the upcoming games.
"Whether you rest players or not, we want to do well in the competition as you saw last week against a good Burton team. We haven't conceded a goal and win the game 1-0 so every game is different!
"Hopefully it's a one off (Lincoln City), you've seen Newport, Crewe have been beaten six this year already and they bounce back, and that's the type of league it is. I wouldn't want to dwell on it too much.
"(Scott Brown and Leon Legge) That's what you need in the dressing room. You look at your experienced players when you go out, they've got to get the younger players mentally right, we've got to get the younger players mentally right too. You try and take the positives out the game."