adminGary Rowett rues missed chances despite pleasing U’s victory
Oxford United manager Gary Rowett expressed his regret over not killing the game off earlier after his side beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 away from home on Saturday.
The U’s secured the victory at Hillsborough thanks to first-half strikes from Will Lankshear and Cameron Brannagan, despite the hosts pulling one back through Sean Fusire not long after the break.
Tottenham Hotspur loanee Lankshear nodded home a ball in from Brannagan after just 12 minutes to silence a rejuvenated home crowd who had found their voice after going into administration a day earlier, seeing an end to the reign of unpopular owner Dejphon Chansiri.
The Yellow’s captain then doubled his side’s lead with a magnificent free kick, catching opposition goalkeeper Joe Lumley off guard and smashing the ball into the near bottom corner from long range.
Coming out of the tunnel, Rowett’s men looked like they had taken their foot off the gas and conceded a goal on the 53 minute mark, Fusire drilling it home after the ball fell to him following a ball across the U’s six-yard box.
“I think there’s sort of two schools of thought when you hear the news yesterday that we’re now going to be playing Sheffield Wednesday with a full Hillsborough and a full crowd and as we all know, I think for footballers, that’s great news,” the United manager told the media at full time.
“No one wants to come here and play in front of a few fans.
“I think it’s great that they got behind it, but we also knew that might make our task a little bit harder because it’s not an easy place.
“I don’t care where they are in the league and what points they are on.
“We knew it would give them a lift, and I thought first half we managed that really well.”
Both U’s strikers made themselves nuisances throughout the first half, none more so that when Nik Prelec got the wrong side of his man and brought a terrific ball down in the opposition box only to be impeded.
Shouts for a penalty rung out from the choir of away fans but the referee did not deem it a penalty.
“In truth, we should’ve had a few more goals really,” Rowett continued.
“There’s a blatant penalty, possibly a second one, not quite sure how that’s not given.
“We haven’t had a penalty now for about 18 months and it’s quite bizarre really.”
This wastefulness has become a common theme so far this season for the Yellow’s.
Last weekend against Derby County saw Rowett’s men squander many a chance to put the game to bed in what ended up a one-goal victory.
“We’ve created a lot more chances this season, we’ve been a lot more attacking in terms of the opportunities and the data around, sort of, our chance creation,” admitted the 51-year-old.
“We’ve got to go and finish them, that’s the difference in the Championship, in this league.
“We just haven’t been clinical enough; we haven’t been ruthless enough.”
Oxford face three current play-off contenders in the next four games; Millwall and Stoke City visit the Kassam next, followed by a trip to West Bromwich Albion and the welcoming of second-placed Middlesbrough.
After their latest win on the road, the U’s now sit in 19th place, three points clear of the relegation zone.
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