TRAVEL WOES OVER FOR U’S
MICHAEL APPLETON challenged his Oxford side to keep climbing up the table after sealing their first away league win of the season against Bolton.
Late goals from Wes Thomas and Chris Maguire grabbed Oxford’s first victory in four and ensured Bolton’s league winless streak extended to seven games.
And U’s head coach Appleton, whose side moved into the top half, hopes his team can now string results together away from the Kassam Stadium, where they have been unbeaten in the league.
“I hope that’s the belief that we need hopefully to kick on because there’s no point being happy being tenth," he said. "You’ve earned the right to get there, why not go on again?
"Hopefully this is the start of a run, certainly away from home, that we can make sure we go on and on and keep picking points up, because so far our home form’s been outstanding. To come here and win, the first away win, was quite surprising because I certainly expected us to go and win before we came here.
“But to put the performance in we did, especially in the second half, was pleasing.”
Marvin Johnson’s 11thminute cross was flicked goalwards by Maguire who forced Mark Howard into a low save, while the Macron crowd gave a standing ovation on 17 minutes to wish ex-striker Ivan Klasnic well after suffering kidney failure.
Wanderers could have taken a 36th-minute lead when Zach Clough squared to James Henry, who curled a first time effort over.
The visitors nearly went ahead after Howard failed to initially deal with Maguire’s stoppage-time free-kick, but clawed away Kane Hemmings’ close-range effort.
Liam Sercombe led a 75thminute charge and his cross found a free Hemmings, who fired a golden chance into the ground which Howard collected.
Moments later, Howard kept the score H level after a superb fingertip save from Oxford substitute Alex MacDonald.
But the U’s took a deserved 81st-minute lead when MacDonald’s dangerous right-wing cross found Thomas, who lashed home at the far post.
And when Dean Moxey failed to collect Andrew Taylor’s backpass on 90 minutes, Hemmings raced forward and forced Howard into action, but Maguire fired home the rebound.
“It’s the poorest we’ve played all season and I’m hugely disappointed,” said Bolton boss Phil Parkinson. “I take full responsibility for it as a manager.
“We had a great start to this season, we were strong and we were resilient and hard to beat, first and foremost.
“We are lacking quality at the moment in important areas, but when you’re not producing moments to create chances and to score goals, you’ve got to make sure there’s a work ethic and a discipline about you without the ball.”