DES Buckingham said Oxford United ‘simply weren’t good enough’ as they slumped to a 3-0 loss at Peterborough United.

Hector Kyprianou and Ricky-Jade Jones gave the Posh a 2-0 lead at the break, with substitute Ryan De Havilland adding a third goal for the home side in stoppage time.

However, it could well have been more for Darren Ferguson’s side, if not for the goalkeeping display by James Beadle, who made a number of important saves.

Buckingham said: “It wasn’t good enough. We’ve set standards in the club and standards of how we want to do things, and it wasn’t good enough if we want to come to these types of teams and places.

“We just simply weren’t good enough and when you give a team like this a two-goal lead, it becomes very difficult to come back into the game.

“I thought we started well and in the first 30 minutes, I thought we had a good bit of control in the game, but we were just unable to create chances.

“They capitalised on what was their first shot of the game, which they followed up well, and for the second goal, we got caught between pressing and staying back, and it opened up space.

“We know the pace they have, with that front four, and if you give them opportunities with space in front and space in behind, then the second goal makes it very challenging.”

He added: “What people see on the outside and what people see on the inside are very different.

“What I will do is try and remain very consistent in the messaging that we put out.

“When we’re not good enough, I’ll put my hands up, and I need to make sure I’m doing everything we can.

“We know we’re not quite where we need to be, so I’ll take responsibility and the players will also.

“But what people maybe see on the outside, the soft approach, is maybe not what you get fully.”