Karl Robinson says improving Oxford ‘a bit more like ourselves’ after Exeter win

Oxford boss Karl Robinson felt his team were “a bit more like ourselves” as they beat Exeter 4-1 to march into the third round of the FA Cup.

Billy Bodin scored twice in the final 11 minutes with Matty Taylor and Cameron Brannagan also on target as improving Oxford stretched their unbeaten run to eight league and cup games.

Exeter, who grabbed a late consolation through Matt Jay, almost equalised midway through the second half before the U’s went up a gear with three goals in nine minutes to kill off City’s hopes.

Robinson said: “Recently they have had some positive results, so we were expecting a hard game.

“We were pleased first of all with how we started.

“We started the second half well, then had a dip and our three changes made a difference, and Lewis Bate really changed the game again.

“The players’ intensity showed and we looked a bit fresher today.

“It should have gone to 1-1 but I thought we showed tremendous character after that, and I thought we showed a real calmness in our play.

“That’s now nine goals we’ve scored in our last three games at home and that’s a bit more like ourselves.

“Billy Bodin sometimes has a flippancy to his game which can frustrate people but when he gets it right he’s very good and he knows the game.

“You don’t go for the money he’s gone for, and play at the level he’s played at, unless you’re a good footballer.

“With Cameron Brannagan and Matty Taylor scoring as well we had big players scoring goals today.

“The way the players trained on Thursday and Friday was excellent, and on Thursday you could see this coming.”

Exeter boss Gary Caldwell said his team have got to be better.

Caldwell admitted: “We weren’t good enough, right from the start of the game.

“In the first half we just didn’t get going. I felt there were opportunities we had to play, and we didn’t take that.

“In the second half we were better but then our Achilles heel this season struck again – that it’s too easy to score goals against us.

“I don’t have a problem with their first goal – that happens.

“What I do have a problem with is when we don’t implement what we’ve been working on.

“I fear there’s an apprehension about going after the game… we had a game plan about being on the front foot today and for that you’ve got to show desire and bravery and we didn’t do that.

“We have to be better.

“I wouldn’t want to repeat what I said at half-time, except that it was about mentality and application.

“Too many players were taking the easy option and not implementing what we had worked on all week.

“When we did do it in the second half there were opportunities for us, but we didn’t quite have the final pass or there was a sloppy pass when we did get through, so we have to improve that.”