WP do some soul-searching
It was the Cape side's second consecutive defeat in this year's Currie Cup after their embarrassing 29-47 defeat to the Blue Bulls a week earlier.
"You can't lose games like this at Western Province," said Dobson.
"Those games were very different though. Last week we got bullied and hopelessly outplayed. This time we just shot ourselves in the foot after being 3-25 down after 32 minutes and then we only conceded three points in the next 48 minutes.
"So it is a very different game, but just in terms of the results we have to do some soul-searching."
Despite getting some momentum in the second half, Dobson said the damage had already been done in that first half hour by a much-improved Cheetahs' side. WP won the first meeting 9-3 between the two teams at a wet Newlands in Round Two.
"What has given us some heart is the way we played in that last 48 minutes and we got some rhythm and got our breakdowns going. Against a team as motivated as the Cheetahs were, it was just too a bigger goal for us to bridge.
"From what I have seen of the Cheetahs this year, they are playing some nice rugby and I think it is quite compelling rugby. They might not have the big names, but the total commitment and total style of rugby is very promising for this region.
Despite the loss, Dobson was able to draw some positives from the loss. He was especially pleased with continuity that his starting team is building.
"We missed Ollie Kebble. To ask those two props [Wilco Louw and Alistair Vermaak] to go in the 70s is a lot to ask.
"We had some quality guys on the bench and they did bring some energy but I felt that we got some rhythm going with our starting team, which I was pleased about," he added.
Dobson also admitted that the loss in Bloemfontein has dented their chances of achieving a home Final this season.
"It hurts a lot because when we started the competition and where we are from we would have wanted to host a final and this loss may well put paid to any chance of that.
"We still got very hard games ahead and it is very disappointing," he said
