Darren Patterson was back on the brink of losing his job after Oxford United's embarrassing loss to Lewes.

Saturday's 2-1 defeat by the Blue Square's bottom club, who hadn't previously won a game this season, put the manager's position back in the spotlight.

Chairman Nick Merry was understood to have spent the weekend mulling over whether a change at the top would be in the club's best interests, or whether to stick by Patterson, who had appeared close to turning it around when the U's beat Cambridge last week.

But the Drippin Pan debacle meant United were back to square one, and they have now lost half of their 12 league games this campaign.

Patterson said he felt badly let down by the players.

"Myself, my staff and the fantastic support have all been let down," he said.

"I look after my players and stick up for them, but that was a kick in the nether regions for me.

"Without being disrespectful, that's what you get with so-called non-League players . . . they haven't got that consistency that you get with proper League players, who do it week in, week out.

"You think you bring the right types here and they don't do it. I feel very let down by the players and that's probably the first time that I do this year. There were too many who went missing today."

Patterson said after the game that he had not been warned that he was in danger of losing his job.

"I've not been told anything by the chairman, who I have a very good relationship with," he said.

"My position's never been mentioned, I just get on with the job."

The former Northern Ireland defender was appalled by the two late goals United conceded, and admited they hadn't been very impressive in the first half either.

"I thought that was the worst 45 minutes of the season by a country mile, and we got away with it actually," he said.

"At 1-0 up we should have seen the game through comfortably. The two goals we conceded were horrible, schoolboy stuff, so you get what you deserve."

The manager said he had warned his players that they had to stay on top of their game, and not to treat Lewes lightly.

"I'm gutted and very, very angry because I've preached nothing but that since Wednesday and hammered it home," he said.

"People were getting carried away, Cambridge was only three points, but obviously we've undone all the good work of that game.

"I've got to take a long look at my players. People give me stick, but organisation and tactics-wise, me and my staff can do no more. When they cross that white line, it's down to them.

"When you're not playing well, which happens with good sides, you win these kinds of games 1-0. But we're not that, we're quite a way off it, that's what's worrying for me.

"That performance and result was a disgrace."