KARL Robinson hailed a win built on character as a depleted Oxford United beat Shrewsbury Town 2-1.

Cameron Brannagan’s penalty seven minutes from time sealed a crucial victory, after Ryan Bowman cancelled out Matty Taylor’s first-half strike.

Read the match report here

The U’s had nine players sidelined for the Sky Bet League One clash, with Jack Stevens, Ciaron Brown and Sam Long ruled out through illness in the 48 hours before kick-off.

It meant United fielded a makeshift back three of Luke McNally, John Mousinho and Steve Seddon in front of Simon Eastwood, while Robinson only named a six-man bench.

But the U’s stood up to the challenge to claim their fourth successive win at Montgomery Waters Meadow and stay fourth in League One.

Head coach Robinson said: “We’ve not played well here for four years and won all four games.

“I thought there were some very peculiar (refereeing) decisions that went our way, but we’ve spoken many times when that’s not gone our way.

“This was a fantastic win, this game was a real worry for me. We had to perform.

“It takes us to 68 points with eight games to go - it’s a really strong position but we’ve not done anything yet.”

Shrewsbury end the day 18th in the table, but they still have the third-best defensive record in the division and have taken points off some of League One’s high-fliers this season.

The hosts started strongly, only for Taylor to dispatch his 21st goal of the campaign after Gavin Whyte’s shot was blocked on 11 minutes.

Shrewsbury piled on the pressure after the break and Ryan Bowman equalised on the hour mark, before Ryan Williams was fouled by Ryan Bennett in the penalty area late on.

Brannagan sent Marko Marosi the wrong way and United held on, with Robinson revealing it was a celebratory – but exhausted – dressing room.

United’s head coach said: “My players are a bit under the weather in there, there’s a few with sniffles and colds as you can imagine.

“They put everything into that game and what a wonderful win.

“Rotherham came here and drew, Sheffield Wednesday got beat here because of the energy of the opposition.

“We rode our luck at times but that’s just part of football, we’re absolutely ecstatic.”