THE DOUBLE
But Oxford moan at red card
OXFORD boss Karl Robinson said his players need to learn to cheat as they crashed to defeat at Portsmouth.
The new United manager saw Alex Mowatt red-carded after a melee in which he swung at Nathan Thompson, a minute after missing a penalty.
Robinson said referee Charles Breakspear should have sent off midfielder Thompson as well.
Terrible
He said: “I’m angry. The referee has cost us the game. Thompson has run 20 yards to stand in his face and goad him. I have not seen that for a long, long time.
“That is a booking. He was booked in the first half for a terrible yellow.
“We could have done a little bit more about it.
“Maybe some of our players need to have that little bit of a cheating mentality at times.
“My players are honest, fair, they play like a very well controlled team and they play within the letter of the law. Alex is in tears in the dressing room. It was a great penalty, it’s fractions from going in. It was a poor reaction from him, he’s been told.”
Pompey had a dream start after five minutes when Kal Naismith drilled home from close range after Matt Clarke headed back into the box.
Oxford almost hit back after 21 minutes when a fierce drive from James Henry was tipped onto the bar unfortunate way for Mowatt just after the hour.
First he missed a spot-kick by hitting the post and he was then sent off with a straight red after raising his arm to Thompson, who was floored.
Pompey doubled their lead after 70 minutes when Brett Pitman slotted home from close range after a Jamal Lowe cross.
The two teamed up again for the third goal of the afternoon nine minutes later, after Lowe rounded Oxford keeper Simon Eastwood for the striker to tap home.
Nerve
Assistant manager Joe Gallen, who stood in for Portsmouth boss Kenny Jackett, who was missing because of a family illness, said he would look at the Thompson incident again.
He said: “It is very difficult to pass a comment on something that I haven’t seen. There’s plenty of things that get said on a football pitch.
“People say things all the time. You’ve got to hold your nerve and not react.
“We played really well but the penalty and sending off was definitely a massive game changer.”