Oxford manager Jim Smith speaks after seeing his side take the lead against Cambridge United then pegged back by goals from Leo Fortune-West and Lee Boylan.

"I was disappointed, not only in the result but in our performance," he said afterwards. "It was a pretty scrappy game and obviously Cambridge are going to play that way. They're big and strong and get the balls into the box and we allowed them to score two goals which were bad on our behalf. Plus the fact we didn't keep the ball enough up front.

"I'm particularly disappointed in their last minute goal. At that time you don't want to be giving a free kick away or letting them get the ball into our box. We should've been playing more in the last ten minutes and holding the ball up in the right areas, but we didn't and we gave the ball away, as we did all night."

Smith also criticised the lack of threat from his strikers: "You could argue they didn't get the service but the first pairing, despite Twiggy getting the goal, were lethargic so we bought the others on to add more pace to the game but we didn't give them enough quality balls. Everything was a battle tonight and that was their game. We had to have more courage and to play, but we didn't."

Smith was also aggrieved at the referee's decision to merely warn U's captain Mark Albrighton for a kick out at Marvin Robinson after the Oxford striker brought him down with a bad challenge.

The referee decided to merely warn both men, but Smith complained, "In the last minute we should have the ball in the Cambridge corner waiting the whistle, and they should've been down to ten men.

"I'm amazed the referee didn't book him; he saw it, and their player said to me myself how did he get away with that. It was a situation that could have changed the outcome of the match."

Smith concluded, "We were poor tonight. We knew we would have to battle and we battled all night without playing. You have to have the courage and confidence to get it down and play. We had to work harder and keep the ball we did neither.

"The defeat might have been a blessing in disguise after what happened last season but we have to put that right against Burton on Sunday who will play a bit more than Cambridge, and I'm not knocking Cambridge for that.

"They play this way very well and it's very effective and difficult to play against and will get them a lot of results this season.

"Compared to last year, Cambridge have made massive strides and credit to Jimmy and his team for that."

United's next match is at home to promoted side Farsley Celtic on Tuesday (7.45pm).

[Match report] [Fixture list] [League table]

Interview by David Gray

Make Your Click Count For The U's - talk about it on the Message Board!

You are respectfully reminded that any article, as with all content on this website, unless otherwise stated, is subject to copyright © and the Official Cambridge United Website must be acknowledged as the original source including all quotes.

AT070819