Oxford United ‘showed character’ in defeat at Millwall

In their final Championship fixtures before returning to League One next season, The U’s were downed at The Den thanks to a Femi Azeez brace.

The Yellows garnered some chances but were on the back foot against a Millwall side pushing for automatic promotion to the Premier League.

With relegation confirmed for Oxford last week, Bloomfield praised his team’s efforts despite having nothing to play for.

“We showed character, but we’re going to have to show a whole lot more next season in terms of doing it game after game, week after week,” the United head coach admitted.

(Image: Oxford United)

“The lads have given us everything. There’s no getting away from that. They’ve been excellent for the four months we’ve been here in terms of their dedication, the way they’ve stuck about the task.

“And we showed some character today because it was always going to be a tough day. But there’s a lot of work we’re going to go after in the summer.

“We had some good chances. Not enough of them.

“Not enough final third entries. Not enough real sustained pressure, but that was always going to be tough given the circumstances. We did have some big chances on the day.

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“One of them goes in and we get our tails up a little bit and the whole psychology of the day changes. Yes, we had some big chances, but unfortunately we didn’t stick one away.”

Tottenham Hotspur loanee Will Lankshear and Wales international Mark Harris both saw efforts in the box go begging, Anthony Patterson clawing away the latter’s late header.

(Image: Oxford United)

Despite the two goals conceded, Bloomfield declared that he was proud of his side’s defensive efforts as The Lions peppered Jamie Cumming’s goal with 22 shots across the 90 minutes as Oxford managed only four.

“I thought we started the game alright, if I’m honest. Our intensity just dropped off a little bit and Millwall stepped on.

“It was always going to be a tough day, right? Let’s not make any bones about it against a team that had so much to play for and with such an incredible atmosphere inside the ground, it was never going to be an easy day for us.

“I thought our defenders, like Ciaron [Brown], Michal [Helik], I thought they were excellent.

“Brodie, defending 1v1 in wide areas. They defended their goal with real pride. So yeah, I thought those guys at the back were excellent today. They had a lot to defend and I thought they did it.”