Oxford united FC
Derby County view on Oxford United and Matt Bloomfield
The U’s were defeated at Derby on Saturday, the Rams securing a 1-0 win thanks to Jaydon Banel’s first-half goal.
Oxford missed some golden opportunities to draw level, Mark Harris spurning a late chance wide whilst Yunus Konak and Myles Peart-Harris both squandered earlier efforts.
“Obviously relieved,” Eustace replied when asked how he felt when Harris missed the chance at the death.
“They’ve had a couple of chances from our own doing, really. Not being good enough on the ball and making mistakes.
“That was disappointing. You give teams chances, there’s always an opportunity for them. Fortunately, they’ve never taken it.
“I think when you look at the team that [Oxford] have put out at the moment, obviously a lot of draws, only two defeats in ten.
“I think it is always very difficult to play against and in those kind of games you need that bit of magic.
The former Blackburn Rovers and Birmingham City boss also praised the work of the U’s boss since his January arrival.
“I think over the course of the time he’s been here, being at Oxford, the team have really grew and been very difficult to play against. They’ve had some great results. I think he’s the right man to keep them up for sure.
“I wish him all the best.”
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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