Dagenham are absolute village. I need to offer the disclaimer that I haven't seen York or Hartlepool, but they were right up there with the worst sides I've ever seen Oxford play. Their was nothing wrong with their attitude; each goal looked like it hurt them, they weren't cynical and they chased the game no less for being three/four down. Just an utter absence of quality. At times it got a bit slapstick - hitting a free kick in to our player before he had retreated more than two yards and getting a throw in further back that they started, powering shots into each others faces, any time their defence pushed up and we hit the ball behind them, we looked like scoring. Full of praise for any fans that travelled from London tonight.
It was good to finally see Ashby play for Oxford, he's had a lot of hype amongst our lot and he did have a decent part to play in the fourth. Otherwise I am not sure how much we really learnt. At best, Appleton might take it as a sign that he shouldn't play Roofe and Maguire out wide instead of McDonald and O'Dowda. This season is an odd one for us - we're not the side we were, but we have a chance of nudging ourselves over the line if Plymouth keep stalling.
If Oxford had won 7 or 8-0 tonight you wouldn't have had any complains from me. Absolutely murdered us.
Having said that, playing against a side the way we performed today, Oxford should probably be disappointed they haven't vastly improved their goal difference. We were a different level of poor.
I had plans on making some quick money by offering my lower league footy expertise to bettors. I was thinking something like 25% of winnings and obvs nothing if I get it wrong. Don't know if I'll give up on this dream of mine yet, or if it was just a one off.