What a waste, says Oxford United boss (From Herald Series)
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What a waste, says Oxford United boss
9:30am Monday 18th March 2013 in Football
By David Pritchard, Chief Sports Reporter covering Oxford United. Follow us on twitter: @oxfordmailoufc. Call me on 01865 425458
James Constable fires over the bar as another good chance goes begging for Oxford against Chesterfield on Saturday
A BITTERLY disappointed Chris Wilder said a wasteful Oxford United “chucked three points away” as they lost 1-0 to Chesterfield.
The U’s, who had won their previous two games, fell behind to Marc Richards’s goal after five minutes, but went on to take a firm grip of the game before half-time.
It led to a succession of chances, all of which were not taken due to a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal.
A third win in eight days would have taken United to within three points of the npower League Two play-offs.
Boss Wilder admitted they had squandered a golden opportunity to get closer to the top seven and could not believe his side had not wrapped up the game before the interval.
The U’s boss said: “That game should have been put to bed at half-time, and we have got nobody else to blame apart from ourselves for not finishing the chances. “It was totally one-way in the first half and it should have been all over – we have missed a massive opportunity.
“Credit to Chesterfield, they have put some great blocks in and their keeper has made a couple of great saves, but we should take those situations out of the equation.
“It should have been a win and we have chucked three points away because we were wasteful in the final third.”
Wilder was also disappointed with the goal that United conceded, which allowed Chesterfield to sit back for the rest of the game and protect their advantage.
It was the only shot on target for the visitors all afternoon and the United manager felt the manner in which it was taken provided an example to his forwards.
He said: “We didn’t put enough pressure on the ball and Richards is a decent player. He ran off the back of a defender and scored. “He had one chance and scored one goal, it seems that we need ten chances to score one goal and we’ve not even done that. “That’s hurt us and has let us down. “There were no problems with the organisation, the play, the character and enthusiasm or the shape, but if you don’t score you don’t win games.”
Comments(4)
Doctor69
says...
1:13pm Mon 18 Mar 13
Its all excuses anyway. There keeper was hardly keeping them in it was he? He made a save from smalley, and there was a goal line scramble. I dont recall him saving much else?
We lacked goals last season, why wasnt this addressed in the summer?
These are the sort of things that Wilder should be questioned on, instead Radio Ox go gentle on him and skirt around issues.
BenkiuGuasu
says...
3:16pm Mon 18 Mar 13
BELIEEEEEEEEEEVE
BigAlBiker
says...
5:57pm Mon 18 Mar 13
BenkiuGuasu wrote:No we can't, not with a strike rate like we have, defensively yes perhaps, but we need points and goals get more points.
WE CAN STILL MAKE THE PLAY OFFS
BELIEEEEEEEEEEVE
I agree with the top man, we need a striking coach to teach our lot how to both kick a ball and kick it in the right direction.
AylesburyOx says...
12:55pm Mon 18 Mar 13
How about hiring a coach to train the strikers to find the back of the net - I've only been banging on about it for the past 3 seasons!
Clearly your reliance on those muppets Lewis and Melville is paying dividends.
I might be wrong or this be a 'radical' claim but I remember reading in an old text book on Professional Football that the way to win is to score more goals than the opposition? So surely if you can't score then you must MUST do something about it!