admin‘Incredibly Frustrating’: Rowett Explodes After Costly Moment Leaves Oxford United Furious in Draw Against Promotion Giants
Oxford United boss Gary Rowett expressed clear frustration after his side were pegged back by a Middlesbrough equaliser, a moment he believes ultimately cost the U’s what would have been a statement victory against one of the Championship’s promotion contenders.
Speaking to BBC Radio Oxford, Rowett said that while there were many positives to take from the performance, the nature of the goal his team conceded left him disappointed.
“In some ways, I’m really proud of the team again,” he said. “I’m proud of the effort, I’m proud of the way we’ve gone about the game. The players showed real commitment, real organisation, and they stood up well against a very strong Middlesbrough side. But I thought the goal that we conceded was incredibly frustrating, especially the way they’ve played through us from a throw-in.”
Rowett explained that the issue was not that Middlesbrough produced a moment of brilliance, but rather that Oxford allowed them to break through too easily.
“We’ve allowed them to play through us rather than them doing anything amazing to get there,” he continued. “And it’s been a little bit of a hallmark of some of the moments this season where we just need to be better. It’s those small lapses in concentration that end up costing you points in games like this.”
The Oxford United manager felt that the final stages of the match reflected two tired teams battling intensely but lacking the extra spark required to grab a winner.
“At the end, it kind of looked like neither team quite had enough to go and win the game,” Rowett admitted. “Both sides had put so much into it, and you could see that physically, mentally, and tactically, the contest had reached that point where it was evenly balanced.”
However, Rowett also pointed out the bigger picture—how far Oxford United have come and how their standards have risen.
“It’s funny in the Championship,” he said. “If you had said before the season we would be going toe-to-toe with a team like Middlesbrough, who are second in the league, and be disappointed that we haven’t won the game, you would feel that would be a lofty statement to make. But in reality, that’s where we are.”
He emphasised that while a point against a high-flying side is normally something to celebrate, the manner of the draw meant the U’s walked away feeling they could and should have secured more.
“It’s another game where a point feels like you’re frustrated,” he concluded. “You look at the performance, at the chances we created, at how disciplined we were, and you feel we deserved the win. Those are the fine margins, and that’s what we have to continue improving.”
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