Oxford United progressed to the third round of the Carabao Cup after a dramatic turnaround against Millwall at the Kassam Stadium.
The U’s were two goals down early into the second half after a brace from Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, but a deflected effort from Mark Sykes and a stoppage-time penalty from James Henry sent the game to a shootout.
Bodvarasson hit the bar during the shootout and Simon Eastwood denied Shane Ferguson while Henry, George Thorne, Ben Woodburn and John Mousinho all scored for the U’s.
Asked if he felt the game was getting away from his side, Robinson told the clubs official website: “Not with this team. I think we have seen at Blackpool away and even at the weekend, we never look like we are out of games because we have good players at this football club.
“Sometimes rather than keep playing into the press you have to try looking in behind teams and seeing how the opposition enjoy defending that: put more crosses into the box, challenge the centre-backs. We sometimes don’t question them enough by playing balls into the strikers’ feet or balls across the face of the goal
“Take the result away and I needed 20 minutes out of Ben Woodburn, 15 from James Henry, some time on the pitch for George Thorne and 65 minutes from Shandon Baptiste and Rob Hall. So it all worked out well. Poor Kevin Berkoe got cramp but wasn’t in the schedule for coming off!
“I thought Thorney did well. He is one of the best passers we have got and is a dream to watch but still struggles with mobility over five yards and needs to get fully fit but he is one of the best midfielders in this league. He is an exceptional talent and he hit two or three unbelievable passes.
“But all of them deserve credit: James Henry coming on and taking a penalty with the last kick of the game and then all of them who took penalties. To score all four was very accomplished. We hadn’t practised them but we drew over 90 minutes with a very good side, and then to go and win on penalties is a fantastic testament to this group of players.”
Meanwhile, Lions boss Neil Harris was frustrated that his side failed to progress, claiming the Championship side should have buried the game.
Harris told London News Online: “I’m gutted we lost the game because the performance deserved victory and a clear-cut victory. It could have been four, six, eight [goals] – we missed chance after chance. It was a real dominant display by us.
“We should be out of sight and we haven’t killed the game. A deflected goal and a soft penalty really has cost us. I’m not really interested in the penalty shootout – the game is decided by that, but it is won and lost by the goals at the end.
“I’d say to my players it was an outstanding performance – goals scored and chances created from some real good play and a mix of play. There were some really strong individual performances by Billy Mitchell, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and Jayson Molumby.”
Oxford will await to see their third round opponents tonight when the draw is made. Last season, the U’s were eliminated at this stage after losing out to eventual winners, Manchester City.
