Cardiff City manager Dave Jones praised his battle-weary FA Cup finalists after they fought for a 1-1 draw against play-off chasing Ipswich Town.
Three days after their semi-final win over Barnsley, the Bluebirds were forced to settle for a point in a one-one draw at Portman Road.
Jones, who made four changes for tonight's match, said his team was feeling the effects of their Wembley exploits.
"I can't ask any more and my medical team are working overtime. If we can get through Saturday, then we've got a week (before our next game). We need a good week," said Jones.
"Just the occasion of Sunday has taken a lot out of them and then we come here today. The last three games have been full pelt with no rest."
Jones felt his side, who climbed one place to 12th, deserved at least a point from the game.
"It was always going to be difficult for us. I felt we were in control of the game for long spells and then, maybe, a bit of desperation on their part undone us," he said.
"They got a little ricochet which killed us."
Jones believed his side were still in with a chance of getting into the play-offs.
"We are still in with a shout and, while we are in with a shout, we will keep going," said Jones.
"It shows the character of the players. To come from Sunday is magnificent. If I'd had more players I would've given them all a rest but I couldn't.
"I asked the players to keep going and they are doing magnificent for me."
Ipswich boss Jim Magilton urged his seventh-placed side to "grasp" the chance of promotion.
"These opportunities don't come very often and you need to grasp them," he said.
"We are running out of games. I remember being in this position as a player. You think next week it will happen. You have got to make it happen.
"You have got to put your life on the line for 90 minutes. It's 90 minutes and you have got to show desire to win a game of football.
"I don't want them sitting on the beach in the summer thinking what might have been."
Magilton felt his side should have had a 90th-minute winner when Danny Haynes' effort was ruled out for a foul.
"I don't really know why the referee gave the decision he did. It's landed and it's a great finish from Danny Haynes," said Magilton.
Magilton blasted his side's defending for the Cardiff goal.
He said: "Their goal was dreadful defending - shambolic defending. We seem to gift goals we don't seem to be gifted."