It was Pakistan's first defeat in England since 1982

"It was always going to be difficult but it was a good pitch and with more application in the morning we could have got very close," he said.

"After Old Trafford some teams might have just rollled over but we fought all the way through.

"But I'd like to congratulate England, they've been better than us."

Interview: Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer

Interview: Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq

The coach, minus pacemen Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Asif and Rana Naved for the first three matches, admitted that Pakistan had been below par at key moments.

"We made too many mistakes in the field and we haven't bowled the sort of lines until the second innings of this game when we bowled pretty well," he said.

Woolmer conceded that his opening batsmen had proved a concern, providing stands of just 28, 0, 4, 21, 34 and 23.

"When we lost Shoaib Malik that was and two have two youngsters coming in they needed to make a statement, which they didn't do and we have to go back to the drawing board.

"I don't want to throw individuals out of my team, I want to make sure they get better, because if they're not producing the goods it makes it very difficult."

A sprawling Collingwood strikes a vital blow by ousting Yousuf

Woolmer also insisted that there was plenty to play for in the final match of the series, starting on 17 August, as Pakistan bid to consolidate third place in the Test Championship standings.

"If we can beat England at The Oval we can creep back up because points matter so we need to try and win," he said.

"Not only that we need to prove we are a good side and we can play overseas."

Skipper Inzamam agreed his team had fallen below expectations in their quest for 323 on the final day at Headingley.

"We had a chance to win this game but England bowled well and it was a lot of pressure on the last day," he said.

"We will try to perform well in the final Test and the one-day series.

Younis Khan was named man-of-the-match for his first innings 173.

"I tried to be positive all the time and go for runs," he said. "But after that England bowled really well."

One of the main turning points was the run-out of prolific batsman Mohammad Yousuf, who was called through for an ill-advised quick single by Younis.

"We are used to these these kind of runs and this was the first time we have lost a wicket but we will learn from our mistakes," he said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan are hopeful that pace spearhead Shoaib will return to the side for the final Test at The Oval.

Shoaib, named with fellow injury victims Naved and Asif in a provisional 30-man Pakistan squad for the ICC Trophy in October, is due to play in a two-day tour game against West Indies A at Shenley at the weekend.