A very disappointed Teddy Sheringham admitted that Stevenage’s performance against Oxford was “not good enough” and that the visitors were worthy victors as they ran out 5-1 winners.
Despite going down to nine men and having conceded two penalties in the game, the manager refused to blame the officials.
“I have got more complaints with me and my team really. I take the full brunt of that - that was not good enough. You could tell from the side line that Oxford were so much better than us.
“We didn’t start the game well enough, Oxford came here and did a real job on us today. That damage was done in the first 20-25 minutes when they were so much more on the front-foot. Our game plan wasn’t followed and theirs was, you could tell that.
“They made it real tough for us and deserved to win the game.
“It was a combination of us not being good enough and Oxford being very good today.”
Oxford were on the attack from the start and firmly had the initiative in the early goings. Before long Boro were 2-1 down and down to ten men.
Although the second half saw another red card and another three goals conceded, the way that Stevenage started the game was of particular disappointment to the manager.
“We are the home team, we should be doing that (starting the game on the front-foot). We had emphasised that today.
“As I said, the damage was done in the first 20-25 minutes when they got 2-1 up and with a player sent off, because of the way they attacked the game.
“I wanted us to be like that, that was the game plan. For whatever reason, which is why we have just had words in there for half an hour, it wasn’t carried out. That is where I have to sort it out.”