The Mustangs scored the opening six points, were ahead by nine and had an 18-12 advantage at the end of the first quarter, but the visitors were unable to hold on when it mattered.

Maitland also led for most of the ­second and third quarters, despite being outscored in both, and went ahead twice in the fourth but the Spiders finished five in front.

“It was disappointing,” Mustangs captain-coach Luke Boyle said.

“We had them scoreless for a fair while in the first, and at the start of the game it felt like we were going to clean them up pretty easily.

“And really we had them for most of the game, but a couple of calls went against us and we lost our way.

“We beat ourselves really and that’s what’s happening to us at the moment.”

That was the Mustangs’ third successive loss and they now have a 3-7 record in the 2015 Waratah Championship League compared to the 7-3 showing from their most recent opponents.

This highlights the closeness of the competition with Maitland having beaten Hornsby 81-75 at home on March 21.

“To see a team that we’ve beaten before at 7-3 while we are 3-7 isn’t great,” Boyle said.

“It makes it difficult to close out, but the guys still think we’ll be there, we just need to learn to finish well.”

Mitch Rueter top scored for the Mustangs on Saturday night with 17 while Goran Veg netted 15 points, made nine rebounds and five assists.

The Mustangs now have the week off before returning against the Central Coast Crusaders on May 16 for the first of three consecutive home games. 

In other Mustangs news Boyle said the local Kibble-Mallon Cup derby with the Newcastle Hunters postponed from Maitland Federation Centre on Anzac Day has been transferred to June 19.