Oxford United’s performance against Blackburn Rovers was compared to that of a five-a-side team by head coach Michael Appleton.

A Ben Marshall double and Tony Watt goal guided the Sky Bet Championship side into the fifth round of the Emirates FA Cup, ending United’s hopes of successive shocks in the competition.

While United were at the races throughout their third round victory over Swansea City, on Saturday they found themselves on the back foot early on and were unable to get into the tie.

Appleton said: “We knew they would certainly get about us.

“I said to the players at the end, and certainly at half-time, you have got to earn the right to play and I just felt in the first 20-25 minutes we almost played a little bit like a five-a-side team.

“Our passing was too short, there were opportunities to get their defenders turning back towards their own goal and we probably just got caught up in a little bit of the occasion at times.”

Appleton added: “They had a game plan to come and press as high as they possibly could and we were just a little bit naive and it just probably shows why we are still a League Two side.”

Rovers’ opening goal came from the penalty spot after Joe Skarz was adjudged to have fouled Simeon Jackson.

Appleton would not be drawn into whether he thought it was a spot-kick or not, but felt the situation could have been avoided.

“Regardless of whether it was a penalty, I don’t think Joe needed to make any contact,” he said.

“I think he could have quite easily got the other side of him and if he was going to have a shot at goal, allow him to shoot from the angle he was at.”