Opener Zak Crawley said the mood in the England dressing room was "flat" Saturday as they stared down the barrel of losing the Ashes within three tests, admitting Australia were the better side.
England are still 228 runs adrift from the mammoth 435 the hosts set them to win in Adelaide with just four wickets left and a daunting task ahead on day five.
Should they lose, the five-match series will be decided with tests in Melbourne and Sydney still to come after Australia won the opening two clashes in Perth and Brisbane by eight wickets.
"They're just flat," said Crawley, who hit a composed 85, of his teammates.
"We came here to win the Ashes, we're always an optimistic team, an upbeat team, and we'll try and put up as much fight as we can.
"Obviously very disappointing," he added.
"It's an uphill battle from here, but the boys are going to give it a good crack tomorrow."
Crawley at least found form with the grittiest of knocks, adding 78 with Joe Root then 68 with Harry Brook, defending well and attacking loose balls.
He was undone when spin wizard Nathan Lyon tempted him down the wicket to be stumped by Alex Carey.
Crawley said while he was at the crease he always believed England had a chance.
"When you're at the crease, you never consider that the game's over, you always think like that as long as you're there," he said.
"When you get out, obviously those feelings change. But when I was out there I felt like we had great players at the crease and coming in."
England headed to Australia with high hopes, but it has been mostly one-way traffic despite the series being hyped beforehand as having the hallmarks of being a classic.
Crawley admitted England had been outplayed by a better side.
"They're a very, very good side. I feel like it was always going to be tough coming here, against them," he said.
"They were the favourites going into it and they've proven why.
"Obviously we've been slightly short of our best, but a lot of credit has to go to them. They've not allowed us to be our best."