Hannover midfielder Lars Stindl has claimed that there can be no excuse for the conceding of a late equaliser in Friday night's 1-1 draw with Hertha Berlin.

Tayfun Korkut's side looked to be heading six points clear of the relegation zone before Valentin Stocker's 83rd-minute strike, and Stindl believes that an eagerness to protect their slender advantage cost Hannover the win.

"It was a very difficult game. Hertha started very deep and it was hard for us to break them down," the 26-year-old, who will leave the club to join Borussia Monchengladbach in the summer, told reporters. "We should have held on by any means necessary, but we weren't able to do so.

"We have to be more ambitious in front of goal. Our aim should have been to hold on after we took the lead, but we're disappointed that we couldn't to that."

Hannover return to action with a difficult trip to Bayer Leverkusen next Saturday.