MICHAEL Appleton admitted Oxford United’s terrific victory at Millwall was beyond his expectations as the play-off chasing Lions were mauled.

Conor McAleny’s early double put the visitors in charge and Josh Ruffels nodded in to seal a comprehensive 3-0 win in the second half.

It moved United up to ninth place in Sky Bet League One, frustratingly four points shy of Millwall in the final play-off place with one game remaining.

“It was outstanding,” Appleton said.

“To come here and play well was the first thing we were looking to do, but to do it in the manner we did was very pleasing, especially with a couple of the goals we scored.

“We knew we had to be patient at times.

“What we didn’t want to do was get sucked into their style of play.

“Millwall probably went even more direct here than in recent weeks because there’s a desperation to win the game.

“We had to deal with a bit of pressure, but I wasn’t stood on the sidelines thinking ‘they’re about to score at any point’.”

Millwall’s direct approach prompted Appleton to deploy 18-year-old Canice Carroll in an unfamiliar right midfield role.

The youngster was forced off with a knock late on, but not before he got the better of the vastly experienced Millwall club captain Tony Craig, who was substituted at half-time.

Appleton said: “I just think with their style of play we knew we had to be competitive and win a lot of second balls.

“He just gave us that bit of solidity when we needed it.

“The best bit of respect he got was their club captain getting dragged off at half-time.

“He’s played a good few hundred games at this level and the Championship.

“He was doing everything he could to unsettle him, but Canice was having none of it.”