Michael Appleton delight as "ruthless" Oxford maintain promotion bid

Three goals in seven minutes after Shaun Miller's 70th-minute red card helped give Appleton's side a 4-2 triumph and kept them flying high in third place in Sky Bet League Two.

Appleton, who saw his team held 2-2 at home by Mansfield on Tuesday after conceding a late equaliser, said: "We were all disappointed after the way we dropped two points in midweek against Mansfield and I wanted the lads to start this game on the front foot today which they did.

"We got in front and worked quite a few openings where we should have done better, but although it was a really difficult pitch to play our normal, fluid style of football we kept at it. We could have panicked after they scored but we didn't and we kept plugging away and got the result.

"The lads were ruthless in front of goal after they went down to 10 men and I'm delighted with the three points.

"Our substitutes played a big part in the goals and I was really pleased with their input. I told them before the game that I wanted them to make an impression on me if they came on and they all did that.''

Oxford saw the ninth-minute lead given to them by Kemar Roofe quickly wiped out by Lee Molyneux and the teams were locked at 1-1 when Miller was shown a straight red card for a late tackle on Joe Skarz.

The visitors re-took the lead just a minute later through John Lundstram and further goals from Danny Hylton and Jordan Bowery put the game beyond Morecambe before Tom Barkhuizen netted a stoppage-time second for the hosts.

Morecambe boss Jim Bentley said Miller's dismissal was the turning point of the game as his side suffered a fifth defeat in six matches.

He said: "The sending off killed us. We were level and looked like we could be the side that might go on and win it, but a lack of discipline proved costly.

"It was a shame because the lads had done well to get back into the game with a stunning goal from Lee Molyneux and we were looking well placed until the sending off.

"Unfortunately we failed to defend set-pieces as well as we should again and Oxford made us pay. It has been our Achilles heel and it came back to haunt us again today because even with a man short we should be doing better than that.

"Everything seems to be stacked against us at the minute and it's hard to take. We have had sickness in the camp, lost two players in the first half and then were hit by a red card but we have to stay strong and stand together and play ourselves out of this bad patch."

He added: "The lads gave it a right good go but Oxford were ruthless and played some good stuff in and around the edge of the box, but again we were a soft touch at corners and were made to suffer.

"The last four games we have played pretty well but had no luck at all and I hope that changes soon.''