Oxford’s defenders making their mark in attack delights Gary Rowett

Oxford head coach Gary Rowett saluted the finishing of his defenders after his side twice came from behind to beat Luton 3-2 at the Kassam Stadium.

Centre-backs Michal Helik and Ciaron Brown grabbed equalisers after Tom Krauss and then Mark McGuinness had put Hatters ahead, before left-back Greg Leigh headed in the winner in the 69th minute.

Oxford are unbeaten in seven Championship games since Rowett took over and they have won all four home games.

Rowett said: “I probably wouldn’t have expected the quality of finishing from the defenders, it was outstanding really.

“It was outside of the foot from Ciaron Brown and Michal Helik and then Greg getting free in the box and finishing it off, so it was a fabulous way to win the game.

“I felt this would be our toughest test in some ways. I’ve watched them play and they’re a little bit different – they’re very good at what they do in that they are very direct and are good at winning second balls.

“I was a little bit disappointed with the two goals we conceded, pleased with the way we got back into the game.

“We went behind for the first time, went behind for the second time, and I said to the players at half-time sometimes in the Championship you have to show a little bit how to win in a different way.

“Before this we’ve gone in front each time, here we had to show a different type of resilience and quality to find a way to win the game.”

Luton’s Form

Oxford’s winner was calamitous defending from the visitors who left Leigh completely unmarked eight yards out.

The Hatters have lost 12 successive away games, 11 in the Championship and one in the FA Cup, and remain 23rd in the table, while Oxford climbed a place to 14th.

New Luton head coach Matt Bloomfield said: “There was some real good stuff, especially first half. We sank a bit too deep for my liking second half and invited a bit too much pressure, which is not what we wanted to do.

“But it’s frustrating because there were some good elements and we’ve come away with nothing because we have to defend our box better.

“The game will never change… The two boxes are the most important areas of the pitch. You have to defend one area with your life and you stick the ball in the net at the other end, that’s what the game comes down to.

“We scored two good goals tonight but ultimately we didn’t defend our goal well enough.

“Ultimately the game is about results, and I’m here to win.

“I knew the job when I came in, it’s a fantastic football club, full of really, really good people, but there’s a lot of work to do on the training ground.”

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