Oxford United 0 - 1 Leyton Orient: Kevin Nolan delighted with Leyton Orient response following Luton loss last week

Posted Sunday, March 13, 2016 by PA

Player-manager Kevin Nolan praised his Leyton Orient side for showing the reaction he was looking for after they moved into the League Two play-off places with a 1-0 win at Oxford.

Jobi McAnuff's 74th-minute goal decided a tight promotion battle, in which defences were generally on top, and lifted the O's into seventh spot.

And Nolan, who has now been in charge at Brisbane Road for 10 matches and is still unbeaten away from home, saluted his team for their strong and determined response following last week's 1-0 home defeat by Luton.

He said: "I am really delighted, especially after last week's disappointment.

"I asked the lads all week for a reaction and they've given me one.

"It was a massive performance and a well-deserved victory. It could have been three or four.

"And that's what we want going forward, we need to find that ruthlessness in front of goal away from home when you are not going to get many chances.

"McAnuff brings that experience to our team. The boys have a lot of respect for him. It was a quality finish from a quality player."

Orient's away form has been better than in east London, and they claimed the three points over the U's despite Mathieu Baudry being shown a red card - his second dismissal of the season - for a late challenge on Kemar Roofe.

Nolan said: "I don't think it was a red card and we may appeal. We will analyse the video footage of it.

"I didn't actually see it myself, but I was very, very surprised when I realised the red card had been brandished.

"Maybe we should stay in a hotel the night before home games to get our results better there! But, to be honest, we were very unfortunate last week when we dominated the game but just couldn't deliver in the final third."

Oxford's head coach Michael Appleton said: "It was a non-spectacle, from both teams, in the first half and both sides were a bit tentative.

"The first time we showed real energy and excitement was after they scored their goal.

"We didn't start either half well. We have certainly started games better and pressed teams a lot higher than we did today, and we'll have to look at why that has happened.

"But sometimes you have to give the opposition credit. They came with a game plan, which they executed well, and they took a chance by bringing on big Armand Gnanduillet in the second half, and it paid off for them.

"But from us the combination play wasn't very good and the players have to accept it was a bad day for them, which happens sometimes.

"The only good thing is that, generally, whenever we have lost, we have bounced back well, and we need to do that against Dagenham on Tuesday. I'm glad it's another game coming around quickly and that it's at home.

"We will need to make sure we have the right players with the right amount of energy for that one, because that seemed a bit lacking today."