Weak mindset Clarke angry with side as late goal leads to defeat
CHELTENHAM Town boss Darrell Clarke hit out at his players’ “weak mindset” as they suffered another late defeat at Oxford United.
Greg Leigh headed Oxford’s winner three minutes from time as they sealed a 2-1 victory at the Kassam Stadium the fifth goal out of the last seven conceded by the Robins that has come after the 85th minute.
The goals in the 2-0 loss at Wycombe came after 86 and 89 minutes, and Charlton took the points at Whaddon Road last Tuesday with goals in the 86th and 90th minutes
Cameron Brannagan threatened twice in the first half for Oxford, with Luke Southwood beating out a fierce free-kick and then a drive from the midfielder.
Ruben Rodrigues and Mark Harris went close before Josh Murphy fired the hosts in front in first-half stoppage time, drilling an angled shot into the far corner from Brannagan’s pass.
Oxford goalkeeper Jamie Cumming kept out a low shot from substitute Jordan Thomas midway through the second half, then Will Ferry equalised with a 20-yard snapshot past Cumming in the 80th minute.
But, just as the Robins must have been thinking they had secured a precious point in their bid to avoid the drop, Owen Dale sent over a deep cross and Leigh powered home a header at the far post.
Oxford’s opening goal came after a 10-minute spell of pressure, Murphy’s strike coming seconds before the halftime whistle.
Then, after Ferry levelled, Oxford were camped in the Cheltenham half, with the pressure telling as Leigh scored the winner.
“We only have ourselves to blame: weak mindset,” said an angry Clarke.
“I am not happy. Before half-time, we should never concede a goal like that and then we score an equaliser, we are on the front foot and it’s then a mentality thing, for me, from my players from there on.
“It wasn’t just the goal, it was the five or six minutes before that, people slashing at things, no composure, not making right decisions.
“Then they put a ball in the box and score a goal, so I am not happy on crucial moments in games, when I am expecting more from my players.
“We have to control those moments. They are trying to finish in the top six, but for me that was a mindset and mentality of ‘oh, we’d better sit back here.’
“You eventually get punished. Inexcusable for me, from where I stand and what my teams are about. Disappointed with the result.
“We are looking at the game plan and it was working quite well first half.
“We were in, they were getting frustrated, the home fans are getting frustrated and we limited them to very few chances - only a couple of long-range shots. Then, we give a really poor goal away.
At half-time, it’s about the response. There was still half a game to go. I fancied with the changes I could make, we
could stay in the game and we did that.
“We started getting the ball down and playing in the right areas.
“Fezza (Will Ferry) scores a good goal and then for whatever reason, the mentality of the team that finished the game was nowhere near strong enough.”
Clarke was forced into changes up front with Matty Taylor (hamstring) and George Lloyd (illness) missing, as Oldham loanee Joe Nuttall, back from a knee injury which kept him out of the 18 against Charlton last week, made his first start alongside Aidan Keena.
But Nuttall was withdrawn just befoire the hour mark as Clarke went to a 3-4-2-1 system with Josh Harrop and Thomas playing behind Keena.
He then introduced former Dundalk midfielder Greg Sloggett for his debut with 20 minutes to go.
“Joe took a slight knock to his knee, but that recovered quickly, He has been working hard in training to try and get an opportunity and it’s up to players to take those opportunities when they come along.
“We are limited aren’t we? Streety (Rob Street) out for the season, Taylor out injured, two centre forwards.
“Tom King is not really ready for men’s football yet, at the minute.
“He is in training with the first team, but needs to strengthen up and toughen up, so we are limited in our options, but no excuses.”
“Kingy was originally on the bench, but I had a change of mind. He wasn’t feeling the greatest, so we put Ben Williams on there because of Fezza’s illness as well.
“We’ve had a scan on Matty and we are waiting on the results of that,” said
Clarke. “I am not going to stand here and make excuses.
“It’s just the way it is and injuries are part and parcel of the game.
“We know the underbelly of this football club is never going to be as strong as other teams in this division, but it’s up to the players to take their chances and to show me they are capable of playing at this level, so it’s disappointing.
“Lloydy was illness, with a phonecall at 8am saying he had a sickness bug.
“To be fair to Fezza, he had that the other night as well, but he’s managed to get through the game today.
“There is a bit of illness and injury in the camp, but no excuses.
“Players coming in have to perform to make sure they stay at the club and they perform at the levels they need to for this club to stay in League One.
“I went to two number 10s. Joe (Nuttall) has obviously come back in for his first start for a while.
“Keeno (Aidan Keena), it’s just where we are at the minute, as a football club.
“We can’t afford to not have different options from the bench.
But also players that come into the environment and the team have to take their opportunities, otherwise they’ll never play at this level again.
“They’ll never play at those levels that’s needed to be a League One player.
“It was the game management of the team, individually and collectively just before half-time and at the end.
“A lot of things in the game I was pleased with, against a team that’s been up there all season, but we have to learn and players have to learn quickly, or they’ll just fall by the wayside.
“They fall down to levels and never play any higher.
“They’ll never be kicking on their careers at any higher levels if they don’t do the bits and pieces on the mentality side of it, which was needed to see out both halves.”
Cheltenham did not have a game on Tuesday night while all of the sides around them were in action, and they go to Barnsley on Saturday sitting five points adrift of safety with 10 games remaining as the four sides above them all lost.
“I don’t want hard luck stories,” said Clarke. “I can’t stand hard luck stories.
“I don’t have it and the players know exactly how I feel on that.
“It’s about making sure you do those individual and collective moments, to be in the right mindset to see the game through until half-time and make sure you see the game through, or go and get the winner in the second half and we didn’t do that.
“I’ll keep fighting, I live and sleep it, every minute of the day, to try and keep the club in the division.
“We are having a bad spell at the wrong time, but we have 10 games and we’ll probably have to win five of them.
“We’ll have a good go to try and win those five.” Oxford United (4-2-3-1): Cumming; Stevens, Moore, Brown, Leigh; Mcguane, Brannagan; Dale, Rodrigues, Murphy (Bodin 90); Harris (Goodwin 67). Subs not used: Eastwood, Thorniley, Bennett, Henry, Matete. Cheltenham Town (3-5-2): Southwood; Davies (Smith 70), Bradbury, Shepherd; Long, Pett (Sloggett 70), Sercombe (Harrop 57), Kinsella (Bonds 83), Ferry; Keena, Nuttall (Thomas 57). Subs not used: Pardington, Williams. Referee: Marc Edwards. Attendance: 8,738 (643 away).