MALCOLM Shotton has warned his Oxford United players they face being left on the sidelines if they don't rise to the challenge of fighting for Division 1 survival.

United's manager spoke out after Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Ipswich Town - a game in which Oxford were run ragged for the first half hour and could easily have been on the end of the kind of seven-goal hammering they have already suffered against Birmingham and Sunderland this campaign.

He said: "You have got to be professional and you are there to do a job, and if the players are not up to the task, we will have to see if we can change it around."

United were without suspended duo Phil Gilchrist and Paul Tait, and Shotton felt their absence had made a massive difference to the team.

He said: "We have missed them today, but all we can do is battle on and we live to fight another day."

United's boss was angry at how poorly Oxford started the match as they fell 2-0 down after just eight minutes. He said: "After ten or 15 minutes we were 2-0 down, and it could have been three or four before we clawed our way back into it.

"Answers on a postcard please if you can tell me why we started like that. That is a problem I have got to sort out and sooner the better really.

"In the second half we could have got something out of the game. The final ball was, from our point of view, the deciding factor.

"We couldn't get the ball into good areas. We tried to force it instead of getting a good delivery.

"I thought we were the best side in the second half, and we should have done enough to get ourselves a point." Shotton felt Brian Wilsterman was fortunate to stay on the pitch after bringing down David Johnson in the area for Ipswich's penalty.

He said: "I think it was a red card. To be fair, he was the last man, but obviously I was pleased the referee didn't do that."

At the same time, he felt Mark Watson was unlucky to be shown a yellow card for his part in the 17-man melee which followed Richard Naylor's disgraceful challenge on Dean Windass.

"I think he tried to keep the peace, but the referee has seen what he has seen and I had better not say any more," added United's boss.

Story date: Monday 22 February

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