Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson conceded the failure to twice hold onto leads at Bournemouth was "hard to take".
Substitute Joshua King grabbed an equaliser in the 89th minute as the hosts snatched a 2-2 draw to deny Palace what would have been a vital victory in their fight to remain in the Premier League.
Luka Milivojevic opened the scoring before substitute Lys Mousset grabbed an equaliser within three minutes of coming on.
Wilfried Zaha's left-footed strike appeared set to give Palace a crucial win, but King became the second replacement to score for Bournemouth, reacting quickly to convert a flick-on at the back post and thwart Hodgson's side.
The result lifts 17th-placed Palace a point further clear of the relegation zone, though Hodgson was disappointed not to return home with a maximum return.
"I think it's hard to take when it gets so close to the end of the game," the former England boss told BBC Sport.
Na na na naa! Na na na naa!Heeeeeey... April 7, 2018
"Bournemouth are in a happy position, they can afford to throw players forward. They've got riches on the bench we can only look at and envy, so you know in the final minutes you are going to be under pressure.
"It's important to avoid mistakes and take advantage of them throwing players forward.
"Unfortunately, we made the mistake, they got the goal and we didn't take the opportunities on the counter-attack."
Not for the first time this season Zaha was Palace's biggest threat and Hodgson knows the Ivorian is crucial to their chances of survival.
"He's a great talent," added the 70-year-old.
"If we are going to survive and get the points we need we need to keep him fit and playing like he did today – he was a constant menace from the outset.
"Even when it's not going his way, when a drag-back doesn't come off or a dribble eludes him, if you're a defender playing against him you'd be very, very worried because the next time he produces that trick or dribble he's going to leave you behind and a goal chance is going to be the result."
