By Jon Murray NEIL McGowan has publicly apologised after his first-half sending-off at Bournemouth on Saturday which brought Oxford United's proud unbeaten run to a crashing end.

The Scottish defender admits being embarrassed by his red card for lashing out at Bournemouth's James Hayter which led to the U's crushing 4-0 defeat at Dean Court.

He conceded he was wrong to raise an arm against Hayter in the 38th minute of a stormy Division 2 game - but he denied deliberately elbowing his opponent in the head.

"I am very sorry for what I did," he said. "I let myself down and the team down. I was naive."

The former Albion Rovers player was shown the red card after striking out at Hayter just seconds after the ref had awarded a penalty against him for bringing the Bournemouth player down.

He had challenged Hayter from behind and Hayter went flying across the wet surface.

And McGowan said: "I thought he made a lot of it. To me, it wasn't a penalty. I got my foot in from the side to take the ball, but his foot kicked the back of mine and then he hit the deck like a ten-ton truck. "I just reacted to that. I didn't elbow him, but I know I was wrong and I shouldn't have raised my hand. It cost the team the game."

United's ten men were helpless to prevent their first defeat under Mickey Lewis.

McGowan has been sent off twice before, but he hasn't had a red card for three years, he says.

But he will now face a three-game ban for a sending-off for violent conduct, which will mean him missing United's fourth round FA Cup tie at Chelsea, should they overcome Nottingham Forest in tomorrow night's third round replay at the Manor Ground.

U's boss Lewis said he didn't have a clear view of the alleged strike, or the brief fracas that developed, which involved several other players. But he will be studying a video of the incidents to see whether the club should take any further action against McGowan. "Neil's absolutely devastated at the moment," Lewis said straight after the match. "The thing to do will be to talk to him first, hear what he has to say about it, and take it from there.

"In all honesty, I thought itwas a penalty because I thought Neil was on the wrong side of him. I didn't see what happened after that.

"He's only 21, I think, and in his time with us he's been superb. I'll have to see exactly what he's done first, but if he has struck out, it would be the same as at any club.

"If you have are found to have done something like that, the punishment (of a club fine) automatically comes with it.

"A few of the players were upset about a few things, which is good. They should be.

"But I've not said too much in the dressing room because I think we need to have cool heads."

Many United players were angered by what they felt was over-reaction by Bournemouth, some of them making the most of the slightest challenge to try to earn a free-kick.

Lewis said the heavy defeat was not a pleasant experience. "In the end, it was very disappointing. I said to the lads: 'remember this feeling' because it's a horrible feeling. But even their fellows said to us the scoreline flattered them in the end.

"The first goal was a terrible mix-up betwen Paul Lundin and Phil Whelan.

Up to that point it looked like any other away game we've played in the last

few away games. We looked pretty solid.

"They had a shot from the edge of the box but we hit the crossbar. I

thought to myself we'd get to 0-0 at half-time and perhaps the game would

open up for us in the second half.

"But it was one mix-up, a goal, and then suddenly you're up against it.And

then we were down to ten men just afterwards.

"To play with ten men for nearly 60 minutes is a long time, especially in those conditions, and against a passing team like Bournemouth which is even harder to play against with a man short. "Yes, the run has come to an end. But I've said to the players not to come in with their faces on the floor in the morning because although the records say we got beat 4-0, it's one defeat in 12 games.

"Bournemouth got beat 5-1 last week and bounced back well. We've got to do the same.

"And we've got a great opportunity with a great Cup-tie against Forest."

UNITED are urging fans to arrive early at the Forest replay tomorrow, although there must be some doubt about the game going ahead due to the weather.

Story date: Monday 20 December

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