REACTION: Appleton Looks for U's to Bounce Back

No excuses as U's look to bounce back

Oxford United get a chance to bounce back immediately when they take on Dagenham and Redbridge at the Kassam Stadium on Tuesday night.

The U’s were beaten 1-0 at home by Leyton Orient on Saturday and there was no hiding the disappointment from Head Coach Michael Appleton, or the hunger to put things right on Tuesday night.

“We were punished for not being clinical enough in both boxes” he told Yellow Player HD.

“With the form we have been in and the way we have been playing, even when Orient scored I still expected us to go on and win the game. I wanted all three points never mind the one. We probably had more energy in the last fifteen minutes, chasing the game, than the previous 75, and that is something to look at for Tuesday night against Dagenham because we almost came alive when they scored the goal.

“We had looked after the players the best way we could last week. We gave them the time that they needed. Our preparations were as they always are, albeit with an extra day off. That’s something we can have a look at but it would just be making excuses for the players and I’m not here to do that.

“Ultimately we were the home side and we have to do better. We have to make their keeper work more than we did on Saturday and we had too many opportunities that passed us by or where we didn’t do enough to hit the target.

“It was an opportunity missed, and I don’t care what is happening elsewhere. It is about what we do here; what we need to achieve. It is certainly a disappointment but we have another game on Tuesday and after 36 games the lads have been really good at bouncing back from a defeat and a disappointment. We have to do that on Tuesday now.”

See the whole interview in Yellow Player HD

Tuesday night is your last chance to sample a Tuesday night game at the Kassam Stadium this season and the U’s need your help to bounce back. Visit www.oufctickets.co.uk or call 01865 337533 to get behind Michael and the team.

Read the Report and view the STATS  from Saturday right HERE