Burton boss Maamria hails ‘perfect afternoon’

Burton boss Dino Maamria was in bullish mood after seeing his new-look side pick up a well-deserved 2-0 win against Oxford.

Albion got a rare moment of luck when debutant Zac Ashworth, one of four new faces to debut for the Brewers, saw a 30-yard volley cannon back off a post before hitting Simon Eastwood in the Oxford goal and bounce in.

Fellow debutant Dale Taylor sealed victory with an impudent near-post finish to seal the victory.

“That was everything we hoped for,” said Maamria. “Three points, clean sheet, two goals scored, a perfect afternoon.

“We had a few new faces as well and it was exactly what we needed. Playing so many new players – it takes balls to do that, playing four debutants, a lot of under-23 players.

“But we took the opportunity of the last week to work a lot together and they gave us that lift, that energy, that endeavour, that relentless work rate. They lifted all the boys if that makes sense. Overall it was a brilliant team performance.”

Maamria, a striker himself in his playing days, was full of praise for Taylor, a Northern Ireland international brought in from Nottingham Forest and making his EFL debut.

“What a forward,” he said. ”Relentless work, energy, his press, his goal the way he took it, he took us to another level. I love that type of centre-forward.”

Oxford boss Karl Robinson pulled no punches as he assessed his side’s second away defeat of the week.

“From all of us that was way below par,” he said. “Probably our worst collective performance of the season in all aspects.”

Robinson had no argument with the result and took full responsibility for a result that led to disgruntled shouts from the Oxford support calling for him to go.

“We didn’t win enough second balls,” he said. “I thought we looked lethargic and we got ran all over and we thoroughly deserved to get beat.

“Some of the players underperformed, physically, athletically and emotionally today. My job is to guide them through that so I am part of that result and I stand here and accept responsibility. People will always go at the manager and that is fine. I don’t have an issue with that whatsoever because I am a part of that defeat.”