Oxford United may be flying high at the top of the Conference - but the squad's lack of depth was horribly exposed as their young reserve side were thrashed 9-0 by Ipswich Town Reserves yesterday.

The Pontin's Holidays Combination Eastern Division defeat at Playford Road - Ipswich's training ground - was one of the heaviest in Oxford United Reserves' history.

It was 4-0 at half-time and Chris Tardif, skippering the side in goal, had to pick the ball out of his net five more times in the second half.

Tardif made quite a few good saves to prevent an even worse score, but near the end a couple of shots he parried were followed in as Oxford's young defence had no answer to Town's width, pace and movement.

Although Ipswich had only two or three players who have appeared in their first team, their reserves were last season playing at a different level, in the Premier Reserve League against the likes of Chelsea's young stars.

Njazi Kuqi, brother of Crystal Palace's Finland international Shefki Kuqi, hit a hat-trick, and Ipswich's other goals came from Dean Bowditch (2), Ed Upson, Ian Miller, and substitutes James Krause and Darryl Knights.

Oxford were not helped by losing Luke Bennett to what looked like a serious knee injury in the first minute.

However, United's reserve team manager Shaun North said it would be easy to look for excuses, and he wasn't prepared to do that.

He expected much more from his players, he insisted.

"We just weren't good enough," North said.

"For half an hour we competed, but as soon as we conceded a goal we had people whose heads dropped and it went from 0-0 at 30 minutes to being 4-0 down at 45 minutes. That is unacceptable.

"It was the same in the second half, where we did OK for 15 minutes.

"But then as soon as we conceded another, people stopped trying, and working, and competing.

"I think this does demonstrate that there isn't much strength in reserve in our squad, which is a concern.

But unfortunately the manager is restricted by the wage cap, and by the transfer window and so he can't bring more players in.

"But as it proved today, if we get two or three more injuries we could have problems. Because who do we then put into the first team?

These boys are next in line, as they are in the reserves, and they should be knocking at the door, but at the moment they are falling well short.

"That's nobody's fault, it's just spelling out the situation we're in."

North said it was just as well the team had Tardif in goal.

"Chris did well, he made quite a few good saves. But for him, it could honestly have been 15 or 16.

"I maybe didn't expect to win the game when we set out at 9am this morning.

"But I certainly didn't expect to get beat 9-0, just the same as if Oxford United were playing at Manchester United in the FA Cup.You wouldn't expect to win, but you also wouldn't expect to let in nine.

"But when things went against us today we all gave in, rather than ran out of steam. There was a total lack of pride, and that's what disappointed me most."

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