WHILE Oxford United appear to be coping far better with direct sides compared to last season, Derek Fazackerley’s been in football for too long to think they have cracked it.

Pep Clotet’s side clearly relished the chance to take on a Charlton Athletic side on Tuesday night who looked to play attractive football.

Tomorrow’s visitors Rotherham United are not expected to be as easy on the eye, but the U’s look better equipped to handle the challenge.

Last weekend’s gritty 1-0 win at Bristol Rovers, who did the double over them last season, was a big confidence boost.

And Fazackerley believes the Millers will present a similarly robust obstacle at the Kassam Stadium.

The assistant head coach said: “We had a saying last year that we had to be a team for all seasons and we’re not just talking about weather, it’s the different style of the opposition.

“Certainly that will be required on Saturday.”

He added: “Towards the end of last season we were starting to come to terms with it a little better and we seem to have continued that.

“I don’t like to say too much about it, because when you start to pat yourself on the back that’s when things can turn.

“We’re in a good run of form, (but) we’re not complacent – we know if we’re going to continue to pick points up we’ve got to be well prepared and ‘at it’ in every game.”

United are in good spirits after collecting ten points in the last four games to climb into Sky Bet League One’s play-off zone.

It has been an impressive response to three defeats on the spin, which remain a reminder if any complacency creeps in.

Fazackerley said: “It can be used as a motivational tool, of course it can.

“You only have to think back to three weeks ago and how disappointed the dressing room was and how much more difficult it makes being on the training field.

“Nobody wants to lose games, we’re all here to be as successful as possible.

“As long as we’re controlling the things we can and manage the games in the way we should, we have a fair chance of getting results.”