Oxford united FC
Oxford United boss rues missed chances in Derby defeat
The U’s were beaten 1-0 at Pride Park after Jaydon Banel’s first-half strike, with Bloomfield’s men missing some big chances to get something from the game.
Yunus Konak and Mark Harris wasted the biggest two, the former shooting over with Jeon Jin-woo in space on his left and Welsh striker Harris putting Aidomo Emakhu’s cross wide in the final minute.
Myles Peart-Harris also missed a big opportunity in the Rams’ box after being played forward by Jamie Donley on the counter attack.
The defeat is a huge blow to Oxford’s Championship survival hopes with only three matches left to save their season as they remain in the relegation zone.
“I’ve got a mixture of emotions,” announced Bloomfield after the game.
“I’ve got disappointment at our performance [in the] first half and I’ve got frustration that we haven’t walked away with something at the end of the game.
“We’ve created two, if not three, really good opportunities against a really good team who are pushing for a play-off position. So today was always going to be a tough game for us. But we’ve created three really good chances and I’m really frustrated that we haven’t gone and taken one and taken something from the game.
“Of course,” the 42-year-old replied when asked if these chances could be the difference between relegation and survival.
“When you get opportunities you need to score from them. No team in our position is going to create loads and loads that you can’t miss.
“When they come around you’ve got to take them. In recent games we’ve been taking them, getting the results and today, unfortunately for us, disappointingly so, we didn’t take one. We’ve had some real clear-cut chances there today and we should take one.
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“You’re coming away against a really good team who have won five in a row [at home]. There are probably more chances than what you’re expecting, clear-cut chances than what you’re expecting to make. So for us not to take one is obviously disappointing.
“They left everything out there second half and we took a very good team to the wire and created some good opportunities. So, fair play to the lads for the way they reacted after half-time.
“We needed to get the points on the board. It hasn’t happened today, but we have to keep fighting.
“We haven’t done all this work over three months to fall away at this moment. We have to fight and fight and fight and we’ll be back on Tuesday night.”
The Baggies won 2-0 away at Preston thanks to goals from Josh Maja and Daryl Dike to lift themselves five points clear of Oxford United and the relegation zone.
The result came just hours after the U’s lost 1-0 at Derby County in a frustrating affair which saw Matt Bloomfield’s side squander a number of good chances to salvage something at Pride Park.
Relegation rivals West Brom picked up their win in the midst of a potential points deduction after they were accused of breaching the EFL’s profit and sustainability regulations.
It is yet to be confirmed whether the West Midlands club will receive a punishment for their breach, leaving question marks over the state of the Championship table with just three matches remaining for most teams.
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After the most recent set of results, a points deduction could hand the Yellows a lifeline, potentially putting them back within touching distance of James Morrison’s Baggies.
In one of the other early kick-offs, Portsmouth beat a dour Leicester City who look all but doomed, Pompey now seven points clear of the drop.
With Oxford in 22nd, West Brom are two places ahead with Blackburn Rovers in between having played one game more.
Rovers are level with the Baggies on 49 points, the U’s currently on 44.
Bloomfield’s side face Wrexham at the Kassam Stadium next on Tuesday night.
Oxford United travel to Pride Park to take on Derby County in a big game for both teams at each end of the Championship league table.
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Jaydon Banel scored the only goal of the game in the first half as the U’s were left frustrated, seeing big chances squandered in the second half by Yunus Konak and Mark Harris.
Matt Bloomfield’s men remain in the bottom three as their survival hopes continue to be left in the balance.
A cagey start to the game saw Derby find the first effort when Banel aimed Derry Murkin’s low cross at goal only to see it blocked.
Oxford’s first effort came from Jamie Donley who could also only hit a defender.
Another blocked shot saw Murkin denied by Michal Helik before a big chance fell for Stan Mills with space to run at goal, the winger forcing himself too wide before running the ball out of play.
The Rams opened the scoring in the 22nd minute when a rapid counter attack saw Banel burst forward before cutting onto his right foot and sweeping the ball into the bottom left corner.
Captain Cameron Brannagan saw a shot blocked in response before Banel tried to find a second but was thwarted by Helik who came sliding in.
The hosts began to settle into the game then, having the lion’s share of possession and frustrating the Yellows.
Sam Szmodics fired over from range before headers from Matt Clarke and Carlton Morris missed the target.
The second period saw little improvement from Oxford, Szmodics able to shoot in the box with Brown getting a touch to see it over.
A huge chance arrived on the counter for United though, Myles Peart-Harris getting into the box but lingering and losing the ball at the last second to the retreating Szmodics.
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The U’s received a let-off when Banel slipped when shooting in the box before another big chance fell for Konak.
The young midfielder won the ball high up and was two-on-one with Jeon Jin-woo but opted to shoot, blazing it over agonisingly.
Derby maintained pressure, Szmodics denied again from close range as the U’s looked frustrated.
Oxford kept the hosts at bay before asserting late pressure, substitute Harris putting a late Aidomo Emakhu cross wide at the death.
Derby: Zetterstrom, Ward, Sanderson (Langas 71), Clarke, Murkin (Forsyth 90+1), Travis, Ozoh (Fraulo 70), Brereton Diaz, Szmodics (Salvesen 90+1), Banel (Johnston 86), Morris
Oxford: Cumming, Long, Helik, Brown, Spencer (Vaulks 89), Konak (Harris 84), Brannagan, Mills, Donley (Jin-woo 62), Peart-Harris (Emakhu 62), Lankshear
Bookings: Ozoh, Fraulo, Szmodics, Murkin; Brannagan, Jin-woo
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