Oxford United suffered back to back defeats for the first time since the start of January with a 3-2 loss at home to Bolton.
Billy Bodin twice put the U’s ahead in the game but the visitors pegged them back before scoring a late winner to secure a sixth win from their last seven games.
Here are three talking points from the game.
Billy Bodin
Not for the first time this season, Billy Bodin put in a solid display for the U’s. His opener – another goal from a set-piece – came from a whipped direct free-kick into the top corner.
His second was also a strike of real quality. The midfielder picked the ball up just outside the box and turned the defender before bending the ball into the bottom corner.
Despite being pegged back twice, he was Oxford’s standout performer and was awarded Man of the Match.
Conceding Two Goals Again
For the seventh time in eight games, Oxford conceded two or more goals. Fortunately, the U’s managed to outscore their opponents in three of those fixtures (Sheffield Wednesday, Gillingham and Portsmouth) but conceding that many goals in a game is a major cause for concern.
The first goal was also a similar theme with the effort being struck from the edge of the box. The attacker was allowed to move forward unchallenged before firing low past Jack Stevens in goal.
The second was also comparable to the opener at Accrington where a defensive header was only cleared back into the middle of the park rather than out of harm’s way.
Oxford need to tighten up defensively if they are to stay in the hunt for the playoffs, with only Sunderland conceding more than the U’s from the other top 11 sides in League One.
Defensive Reinforcements
Karl Robinson saw the return of Luke McNally and Sam Long for the game against Bolton and it was the former that failed to close his man down for the opener. It was also McNally’s header that led to the second goal.
However, it isn’t just the back four that are at fault. Many fans pleaded for another defensive midfielder to come in with Alex Rodriguez Gorrin out injured for the rest of the season.
While Herbie Kane and Cameron Brannagan have done well in the role since the Spaniard’s injury (and they both played deep against the Trotters), the duo are attack-minded and failed to provide adequate cover for the back four on all three goals.
