Assistant coach Matt Mason praised the efforts of the Worcestershire bowlers in batsman-friendly conditions at Chelmsford and admitted: "there wasn't much else we could do."
Essex batsman Tom Westley scored the first double century of his career as Essex rattled up 512-4 declared as the visitors were left to rue their below-par performance with the bat in the first innings when dismissed for 230.
Mason says the County's young players can learn from the example of Westley, Alastair Cook, Ravi Bopara and Co and that greater application will be needed in Worcestershire's second innings to boost their chances of saving the game.
He told BBC-Hereford-Worcester's Chris Williams: "The guys are pretty tired and a little bit down. It was really hard work. I will say one thing, their effort was tremendous and they ran in all day. They tried everything they could.
"If you ask them if there was anything else they could have done, they would probably say 'not much.'
"They really did try hard and you have to take your hat off to Westley and what a terrific knock that was, to get a double hundred, and he was well supported by the other guys.
"When we sit down and analyse the day, which we will do, there wasn't much else we could do. You sometimes have to accept that the wicket is a really good one for batting.
"Our first innings is what has cost us in this match and those guys showed if you can get in on that wicket, and bat well, it's a good wicket to play on.
"When you win the toss and bat first, you want to score that 400 and it wasn't to be and it's coming back to haunt us now."
Mason added: "From here, I don't know where we go. They are in real control of this game. All I do know is when we do get a chance to bat again, we will going to have to really show some application which we didn't do in the first innings and try and save this game.
"Sadly for us, a win is going to be tough, and realistically we need a win, so the guys were feeling a bit down but tomorrow we will give it our all again.
"I think the wicket did do a bit early on today but they negotiated that very well and as the day went on, even the second new ball didn't do a great deal.
"It still looks a good surface. There are no gremlins in it yet. It doesn't appearing to be turning much either so when we get in, we will have a good chance of at least doing our best to save this match.
"It is one great thing about having a young team team like we do, that I really do hope they watch these guys.
"If they can watch a guy like Alasatair Cook, and Ravi Bopara and Tom Westley, they should learn plenty themselves and there are some pluses you can take from performances like this.
"At the moment it probably doesn't seem that way but when we look back, they will have learnt a lot watching these guys play."
Spinner Brett D'Oliveira was only able to bowl four deliveries because of a knock on his thumb.
Mason said: "He has taken a nasty knock on the thumb and is having trouble hanging onto the ball which doesn't help when you are a spinner.
"But that has given George Rhodes an opportunity as a young developing spinner and great to see him get some overs and actually bowling at some quality players.
"He might be feeling it is tough at the moment but he will get some great learning from that so it's a good chance for him."
West Indies paceman Miguel Cummins is striving for his first wicket for the County.
Mason said: "He must be thinking 'I don't want to play on too many wickets like that one!' but he has tried hard.
"He is only young himself, 24, 25, and he is relatively inexperienced at this level.
"He has got a little bit more pace, but just couldn't find the wickets today but it will get better for him, I'm sure."
