DANNY Rose admitted Oxford United’s home form was baffling after their struggles at the Kassam Stadium continued with a 2-0 defeat to Southend United.

First-half goals from Conor Clifford and Luke Prosser put the visitors in charge.

Although the U’s improved after half-time, they could not find a way past Daniel Bentley in the Shrimpers’ goal.

It means United have won just once in five games at home this season, in stark contrast to their away form, which has seen the side pick up 13 points from a possible 15.

Rose was at a loss to explain the difference in results.

“There’s no reason why,” the midfielder said.

“We’re not doing anything differently, we’re not preparing differently and are going into every game with he same mentality.

“It’s just one of those things that it’s just not happening. I can’t put my finger on it.

“Obviously we have to address it, but I don’t think it’s down to the staff, it’s down to the players.

“We’re the ones on the pitch that have got to do the business on the day and for one reason at home our record at the moment isn’t great.”

Defensive mistakes had a hand in both goals, with Asa Hall’s poor clearance allowing Clifford a shooting chance which he took with aplomb to open the scoring.

Prosser was allowed to head in the second unmarked as several United players appealed for offside.

It all came after the hosts had started brightly and Rose felt there was little between the sides.

He said: “I wouldn’t say they were more dominant than us in the first half, there were just a couple of individual errors which led to the goals.

“A sloppy clearance and a needless foul given away, to be fair the guy has had a free header right on the six-yard line.

“Obviously you shouldn’t have that, but besides that I think the game was in the balance.”

Only an excellent display from goalkeeper Ryan Clarke kept hopes of a comeback alive after the break, but Rose argued Southend’s chances were a product of the U’s attempts to get on the scoreboard.

He said: “They were always going to get something on the counter-attack because we were pushing. “We did what we could, we tried to force the ball into their box as many times as we could, especially late on.

“Luckily for us they didn’t get any more, which kept our hopes up, but it wasn’t to be.”