IN the last month, Karl Robinson could have named an available XI versus an unavailable XI on three separate occasions.

Oxford United managed to come through the games against Fleetwood Town and Rotherham United unscathed, but it felt like taking points off Wigan Athletic could be a bridge too far.

The fact that they came within minutes of doing so – and certainly deserved it – is to their immense credit.

United’s recent battles with Covid all started with the late postponement of their trip to the DW Stadium a month ago and it was clear they were determined to avoid a repeat.

Karl Robinson: Why Oxford United's shape helped them perform against Wigan

Robinson was impressed with the way the Latics carried themselves that day, while under new English Football League rules the U's were just above the threshold for calling a game off.

The guidelines state that clubs are expected to fulfil a fixture if they have 14 first-team players available, including a goalkeeper, and that is exactly what United had when the teams were announced.

By kick-off it was a different story, James Henry having limped out of the warm-up with a calf issue, although to call the game off at 2.45pm would have been a farce.

The 32-year-old was due to play holding midfield and that was the main concern, with Marcus McGuane deputising in an unfamiliar deeper role and, like Billy Bodin alongside him, lacking minutes in recent weeks.

United unsurprisingly lacked cohesion in that area early on, with the middle trio not close enough to each other and Mark Sykes linking better with Gavin Whyte and Matty Taylor.

RATINGS: Every Oxford United player marked out of 10

A ferocious start showed what was to come, but before too long you were fearing the worst.

The U’s are much better at defending set-pieces than they were earlier in the campaign but Wigan could have scored three times in the first 15 minutes from corners to the back post, Will Keane heading home from one to give Wigan the lead.

When you are so depleted the last thing you need is to give away silly goals and Steve Seddon headed into no-man’s land, rather than away from danger, to allow Max Power to make it 2-0.

This tested United's character more than against Fleetwood and Rotherham – and they passed with flying colours.

It was not just the mindset of those in yellow, but the football.

Ryan Williams, who did not look like someone starting his first Sky Bet League One game since September 4, swept home after an incisive move from right to left.

Whyte laid on United’s first goal and his clever movement all afternoon meant I mistakenly credited him with the assist for the second, when it was actually Anthony Forde.

WATCH: Highlights of yesterday's game

The right back made more passes (57) and more key passes (four) than anyone else on the pitch and his touch and cross for Taylor’s equaliser was sublime. It is almost as if he signed as a winger.

United’s lack of firepower off the bench ultimately told, with Forde and Elliott Moore noticeably shattered as they tried in vain to stop James McClean scoring Wigan’s winner.

Talk of bouncing back feels premature when there is so much uncertainty over what football does next in the face of rising Covid cases.

Boxing Day opponents Portsmouth postponed yesterday’s game at AFC Wimbledon due to an outbreak in their camp, while the isolation period means at least three of the four U’s players to test positive would be touch-and-go for next Sunday anyway.

We will find out more over the coming days, but if this proves to be the last game before an enforced break then United ended on a high.