After a stormy 90 minutes against Ipswich in midweek Oxford United head for Gillingham on Saturday looking to get back on course with a win.
Tuesday night’s draw was held up for 18 minutes after a downpour but as Head Coach Karl Robinson told iFollow today, it couldn’t dampen United’s spirits.
“I think that’s how games always used to be played many years ago and they just played on! It was strange but I think the two teams did really well.
“No one cheated, nobody tried to get round the rules of the game and they were two honest teams both desperate to win. I was pleased with the players’ effort. We have just played two teams who played in the Championship last season and you wouldn’t know the difference between the teams.
“Physically, yes it took it out of us. The weight of the pitch and the way the ball was holding up meant a lot more effort went in but I don’t see any reason for that to affect us on Saturday. Gillingham will feel aggrieved after the game at our place where in the first half we were very good and took the game to them but in the second they came at us and made it very difficult. Their results tell you that it’s them and Accrington as the form teams in the division. So we know it will be difficult but Gillingham is always a difficult place to go anyway.
“It’s a very tight league. Anyone can beat anyone and three or four wins propel you right into the mix. It’s weird but when we were winning all those games I never saw the gap to the top two closing but now we have taken one point out of nine we are closer to top!
“That’s strange but also if we had got a point against Rotherham the picture changes again. But that wasn’t to be and all the games so far have a full stop after them now . We were always going to have a little bit of a lull somewhere along the line but hopefully we put our best foot forward again at the weekend.”
See the full interview plus the thoughts of Sam Long in iFollow right now.