Oxford United boss 'embarrassed' by Stevenage defeat

A strong U’s side appeared in control following Dan Agyei’s early opener, but they lost control of the Papa John’s Trophy clash on the half-hour mark and never regained momentum.

The equaliser had been coming long before Jamie Reid struck 15 minutes from time, with Luke Norris scoring a late winner to give the Sky Bet League Two strugglers victory.

Read the match report here

It was United’s second defeat in two games and they sit bottom of Southern Group H, with progression to the next round unlikely.

The U’s have bigger priorities this season, but Robinson was furious at the display and sent his players back out onto the pitch after full-time.

“I can’t glam it up, that was embarrassing. I’m embarrassed,” United’s head coach said.

“It was ‘get out of the dressing room for a minute, before I say something I regret’.

“You put a yellow shirt on for a reason.

“The first commitment is you run harder than the opposition and I don’t think some of our players did.

“The second part is you do the basics, we didn’t do that.

“When all else fails, you stick together as a team and we didn’t do that.

“The three components of our yellow shirt didn’t run true.

“It looks like some of the players need a break, but some of them need to liven up.”

Eight players who featured in Saturday’s 2-1 win at Sheffield Wednesday started the game, plus the returning Mark Sykes and experienced goalkeeper Simon Eastwood.

Jordan Thorniley was then withdrawn at half-time after vomiting in reaction to the antibiotics he was given to treat a tooth problem.

It was also a chance for players who have lacked Sky Bet League One minutes to show their worth, but Robinson felt some fell short.

“That team was good enough and that team didn’t turn up,” he said.

“There was a lack of quality of players who came in.

“That might have been because they were trying too hard, but these are chances to get back in the team.

“How else are you going to get a second chance?”