AFTER more than three decades in football, little surprises Mickey Lewis, but Oxford United’s assistant manager rates the last nine months as his most frusrating season of all.

The U’s have been infuriatingly inconsistent for much of the season, with winning streaks followed by losing slumps.

Despite losing 19 games in npower League Two, they have rarely been outplayed, with United having a hand in their own downfall more often than not.

A failure to finish chances has been a particular problem which has resurfaced during a run of four defeats in their last five games.

Lewis, who is hoping United end that run with a win at Dagenham & Redbridge tomorrow, admits United’s form has puzzled even someone with his experience.

He said: “I’ve had 32 years as a player and a coach and I’d say this was the most frustrating season.

“We’re disappointed because we set ourselves high standards.

“We wanted to be in that top seven and I think if we had taken half the chances we’d created, I think we would have definitely been in there.

“If you had seen training this morning, the goals were going in all over the place, but they have to produce that on a Saturday.”

The squad have taken plenty of flak this season, but the coaching staff’s criticism extends to each other.

“We’ve very positive as a group of staff but we’re also very critical of ourselves,” Lewis said.

“There have been times, especially at home, when we don’t leave the office until 7.30pm because we watch the game again straight away.

“There have been plenty of times when I’m sure our wives have wondered where we are.

“All of us go through it on the DVD. We’re pretty harsh on ourselves. We do it when we win as well, we’re not daft enough to think when you win everything is perfect.

“The preparation is second to none. We never change because we want to win every game and we’re as disappointed as anyone if we don’t.”