Robinson hails ‘statement’ win over Doncaster

Posted Sunday, October 13, 2019 by PA

Oxford boss Karl Robinson said his team’s 3-0 win over Doncaster gave him even more pleasure than normal because of the quality of the opposition.

James Henry scored twice, the second with a late penalty, and Cameron Brannagan once as Oxford closed in on the League One play-off positions while stretching their unbeaten run to eight games with a third successive 3-0 victory at home.

Robinson said: “The result was an emphatic one when you consider the quality of the opposition. Against a team like that it was a real big statement.

“And there’s a lot more to come from us when you think about all the players that are out injured at the moment.”

The Us have half a dozen players sidelined through injuries, and striker Matty Taylor had to miss this match because of sickness.

“It was a late shout with Matty Taylor – and Jamie Mackie didn’t know he was going to have to play,” Robinson said.

“But it just shows how much Mackie cares for Oxford United that this performance was probably his best of the season. He absolutely worked his socks off.

“The players fight for each other and we have a lot of togetherness here.

“Yet, even with all that, I thought we were poor in the second half. Maybe I’m harsh but I thought we gave them too many opportunities.

“But I’m very happy overall because I know there’s a lot more to come from us.”

Henry took his tally to eight goals in his last nine appearances with his fierce deflected drive in first-half stoppage time and a penalty 12 minutes from time after Tom Anderson handled Shandon Baptiste’s cross.

Doncaster Rovers manager Darren Moore said: “Goals change games and today was a game where they got the goals at crucial times.

“The first one was a deflected effort, and he must have thought he’d won the lottery – but if you don’t shoot, you don’t score…

“It was a bad day for us, but at 1-0 and 2-0 we had chances to get back in the game, we just couldn’t get on the end of things. We needed to show a bit more aggression in our play.

“The second goal was a disappointment to concede because that leaves you with a mountain to climb.

“I don’t know what Tom Anderson was supposed to do, with the penalty, because it hit him from two yards. How is he supposed to get his hand out of the way?

“We’ll analyse the game and then it’s back to the drawing board on Monday. We’ve got all week to look back on it and see what we should have done better.

“Credit to Oxford, they’re a good side and were a bit too strong for us really. It’s a tough one for us to take but Oxford are on a good run.”