DES Buckingham understands why there was a smattering of boos at the full-time whistle after Oxford United were held to a draw at home to Reading.

Mark Harris gave the U’s the lead just after half an hour in the first league derby between the sides at Grenoble Road.

United then failed to add a crucial second goal, and were punished when Ciaron Brown diverted into his own net with 14 minutes to go.

Read our match report here

At home, and against a Royals side in a frail position both on and off the pitch, many U’s fans will have expected their side to come away with all three points in the derby.

It meant there was a sprinkling of boos at the end of the game, something Buckingham said he understood.

He said: “We’re a club that wants to win games of football, especially at home. Do I understand them? Yes.

“We appreciate they got behind us. It was a wonderful atmosphere here. All I can say is that we have been stretched thin, and we’ve done as much as we can to put a performance on. From this point forward, we will get stronger.”

On the boos, United midfielder Cameron Brannagan said: “It’s a derby game, and everyone wants to win, and so do we. That’s the frustrating thing, we wanted to win for them.

“That second half wasn’t good enough because we didn’t create the chances we should’ve created, and we need to be better.”