A WINNING goal six minutes into stoppage time denied Oxford United a point at Coventry City, as the U’s were on the wrong side of a five-goal thriller.

Haji Wright headed the hosts into the lead, but Ciaron Brown pulled United level with just over 20 minutes played.

Milan van Ewijk resorted the Sky Blues advantage, before Mark Harris grabbed a second U’s leveller just before the hour mark.

Wright though had the final say, when he took full advantage of a casual back pass from Will Vaulks.

We picked out some of the key talking points from a United perspective.

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Cruel way to lose game

Starting with the winning goal, it was a bitter way for the U’s to end the match.

Vaulks received the ball just inside the Sky Blues half, and with his back to the opposition goal, he searched for a back pass to the United defence.

It was misplaced and overhit though, with Wright able to nip in well ahead of Elliott Moore.

From that point, Wright had the space to run in behind and all he had to do was beat Jamie Cumming, and did so by rounding the U’s goalkeeper.

It was harsh on United, but on Vaulks too, after another battling display in midfield.

Lessons will be learnt from the experience, but learnt in the most disappointing of ways.

Full backs exposed

Des Buckingham’s playing style means the U’s will naturally concede opportunities.

The wingers need to provide width and a threat to the opposition, but in the first half, that left United full backs Joe Bennett and Sam Long dealing with two v one moments.

Credit to the Sky Blues for the way they took advantage of the situation, as their full backs Jake Bidwell on the left, and van Ewijk on the right, were brave enough to keep bombing on.

Bidwell and Wright caused all sorts of problems for Long, while van Ewijk and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto posed a danger for Bennett.

It was down the Sky Blues right where the home side’s goals came from in the first half.

Sakamoto and van Ewijk created a two v one against Bennett, and the latter crossed for Wright to head in.

Przemyslaw Placheta didn’t do enough to track van Ewijk, and it was the Dutch right back who arrowed in later on from the edge of the box.

The U’s looked at the problem at half-time, and were much more resolute in stopping the two v one openings.

Jamie Cumming performs heroics

One player in particular who seems at home and relishing this level so far is Cumming.

He made some outstanding saves, especially in the second half, and appears to be full of confidence between the posts.