Oxford head coach Liam Manning praised his players for digging in despite not being at their best after their 3-0 win over Exeter lifted them up to second place in League One.
Ruben Rodrigues headed in Kyle Edwards’ cross in the eighth minute before Cameron Brannagan sealed victory with two late penalties following fouls on Rodrigues and then Josh Murphy by City captain Will Aimson.
Manning said: “I was pleased most of all with the clean sheet.
“I’m delighted with the players.
“On a day when we didn’t manage the game like we’d want to, we showed a different side, in being able to block and being
able to defend well.
“Sometimes there’s a little bit of snobbery in football around what it should look like and what people want to see. Across the course of a season you’re never always going to play at the highest level you can.
“I’ve just said to the players, it’s a nice feeling to not necessarily be as we were in other games but win. Against Cambridge and Port Vale we played well but ended up losing the game.
“You have different experiences with the group and manage it in a different way. We could have controlled the ball better, but we showed a great togetherness and a great resilience.
“And the physicality – I thought the physical output was outstanding, which is credit to them and the staff for the work that’s done every day. You can only put in a shift like that if you’re in peak condition and train properly.
“I’m proud of the players because I thought they really showed what they are about as a group and as people.
“I feel the group are growing. The lads have such a respect for each other.
“For me it felt like quite a big moment in terms of finding a different way to win which in the past we maybe haven’t done. That shows the progress in the game.
“I don’t think Exeter created loads of chances. The keeper’s made a couple of good saves, but for all the ball they had, a lot of it was in areas where we controlled the game.
“Analysing the chances that were created in the game, it was definitely us who had the greater threat.
“There isn’t a player in League One I would trust more to take penalties than Cameron Brannagan. I feel so confident when he steps up and his record speaks for itself.
“And Ruben got his first goal for us today – it’s important to get goals from different areas.”
Yanic Wildschut’s fierce angled shot which came back off a post was as close as Exeter came and manager Gary Caldwell felt his side lacked a cutting edge.
He said: “I’m disappointed with the result.
“We got off to a poor start and gave away a really bad goal, which made it difficult.
“We controlled the rest of the first half without creating too many opportunities, although Yanic had a great chance, but it was a brilliant save off the post.
“Second half we were in total control, but we didn’t penetrate enough or create enough chances.
“The longer the game went on, we left ourselves vulnerable to counter-attacks which Oxford punished us with.
“It’s a game we need to learn from, but overall I didn’t think it was a 3-0 game. There were moments that went against us and we have to dust ourselves down and go again.
“The team were excellent in training for this match, but we were playing without a recognised number nine, which gave us a problem.
“That was probably why we looked a bit toothless at times.
“I can’t fault the team’s effort – we just didn’t have the understanding or intensity in the final third to make things happen and turn it into goals.
“At 1-0 down, if we could have scored, we were very much in the ascendancy at that point.
“We left ourselves open to counter-attacks and Oxford scored two penalties from those situations.”
