Matt Taylor picked out Bristol Rovers’ first-half performance and the form of striker Chris Martin as the foundations for a first Sky Bet League One victory in five games.
Martin and Luke Thomas found the net inside the first quarter of the match to put the Pirates in control, and after Mark Harris had pulled one back, Harvey Vale sealed Rovers’ first win of 2024.
“We took responsibility and played forward more and got ourselves up the pitch,” said Taylor. “We know we’ve got enough quality if we’re there to hurt the opposition.
“So I was pleased with that start and then the goals were a bonus. Two really good goals (in the first half). Chris Martin’s in terms of a breakaway and a cross, and he’s in fantastic form at the moment.
“We spoke about Tuesday (defeat at home to Exeter) but we were missing key personnel. You just see a bit more life in that team today.
“You could just sense a bit more confidence in that whole back line on the back of the goalkeeper and those experienced defenders as well (James Wilson and George Friend returning from injury; Jed Ward starting his first league game this season),” Taylor added.
Oxford manager Des Buckingham also pinpointed the first half and the goals his side conceded, as the hosts got on top.
“First half we’ve given away two cheap goals and when you do that away from home it’s very difficult,” said Buckingham.
“We responded really well in the second half and the goalkeeper has picked up man of the match for them.
“We created the chances but just couldn’t get ourselves back in after getting the one and as we chased the game we left ourselves vulnerable. We need to be better,” he said.
Buckingham feels his team are hamstrung by having five important players in the treatment room, while the 38-year-old also hopes to add more new faces before the end of the January transfer window.
“It’s a tough ground to come to,” he said. “They went quite direct and we dealt with most of it but the two chances they did get they made the most of, the first from a very acute angle and the second from the edge of the box where we don’t quite get a foot on the ball.
“We’re limited at the moment in how we want to set up. I want to play with two wingers – we can’t quite do that – we’re still looking for one or two.
“If we can get them in before Tuesday night that will help us for then (against Portsmouth). If we can’t then the window is open until Thursday and it will be for next Saturday against Reading,” said Buckingham.
Man United could be without Toone until new year, says Skinner
Marc Skinner revealed that Manchester United could be without midfielder Ella Toone until the new year after she picked up a calf injury in training.
Toone has featured in five games in the Women's Super League this season, but is yet to register a goal or an assist so far this term.
The 25-year-old has missed United's last two games and was not selected in Sarina Wiegman's England squad for their upcoming friendlies against the United States and Switzerland.
She had previously appeared in a staggering 96 straight matches before missing United's WSL showdown with Leicester City last weekend.
But ahead of the Red Devils' meeting with league leaders Chelsea on Sunday, Skinner confirmed they would be without Toone for not only that game, but for the foreseeable future.
"We have three games [after the international break and before Christmas]. There's always the hope, but I think you balance and you go, 'right, if we can get her back, we get her back'," Skinner said.
"But we're just not going to rush her in this moment because it's a calf injury, it's your running mechanism. If we injure the running mechanism, it takes longer.
"So ideally we'd like her back for those games afterwards.
"The projection is she misses this game [Chelsea], she misses the international window, probably misses the first game after that, and then we'll see from there.
"But because it is such a short block of only three games, we'll assess whether it's worth that or actually resetting to come back after Christmas."
Al-Nassr 1-2 Al-Qadsiah: Aubameyang winner ends hosts' unbeaten run
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hit the winner as Al-Qadsiah inflicted a 2-1 defeat on Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League on Friday to end their 21-match unbeaten run.
Cristiano Ronaldo's seventh league goal of the season put Al-Nassr ahead, but Al-Qadsiah replied swiftly through Julian Quinones before Aubameyang struck the decisive blow.
The hosts drew first blood in the 32nd minute when Ronaldo slotted home after Al-Qadsiah goalkeeper Koen Casteels had spilled a routine catch from Talisca's cross.
However, Al-Nassr's joy was short-lived when Quinones brought down Turki Al Ammar's delivery five minutes later, with the Mexcio winger firing past Bento to level the scores.
Quinones also played a part in the winning goal after brilliantly turning the ball back across goal from Nahitan Nandez's search pass to tee up a simple finish for Aubameyang.
The result sees Al-Qadsiah move level on 22 points with third-placed Al-Nassr, with Al-Shabab also level with them.
Stefano Pioli's Al-Nassr are six points adrift of defending champions and leaders Al-Hilal, who also have a game in hand.
Vlahovic out of Juventus clash with Milan
Dusan Vlahovic will miss Juventus' trip to Milan in Serie A this weekend and is also a doubt for the Champions League game at Aston Villa, head coach Thiago Motta has confirmed.
Vlahovic returned from the international break with a muscle problem in his left thigh, and the manager, after he confirmed the Serbian's absence for Saturday's game at San Siro, was asked about his chances of playing on Wednesday at Villa Park.
"I don't know. He definitely won't be there tomorrow. We hope to have him back as soon as possible," Motta told a press conference on Friday.
"Injuries are part of football. Now it's Vlahovic's turn, but we'll keep playing with the same principles, attacking and defending together."
Vlahovic is the latest of Motta's injury problems at Juventus. Argentine winger Nicolas Gonzalez missed the last six league games and is still unavailable, while Poland striker Arkadiusz Milik is a long-term absentee.
Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz will also miss the game with Milan and defender Juan Cabal recently suffered an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury, the same issue which will keep fellow defender Gleison Bremer out for the rest of the season.
"I'm really disappointed for Cabal because, like Bremer, he'll be out for a long time," Motta said.
"This is another reason to push ourselves, to commit that bit more so that these absences don't weigh too heavily."
Juventus go into the game as the only unbeaten side in Serie A but find themselves sixth in the standings in what is so far a very tight title race, with just two points separating Motta's side from leaders Napoli.
"It's very balanced and this is good for both us and the public," Motta said.
"We must all try to continue like this. We have to try to get as many positive results as possible."
Milan are one place behind Juve but six points off Motta's side.
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