KARL Robinson called for Oxford United's players to pull themselves together after their sorry start to the Sky Bet League One campaign continued.

A 4-1 defeat at Portsmouth left the U's rooted to the bottom of the early table - the only side in the division still looking for their first point.

Robinson, who was missing Rob Hall and Ricky Holmes to injury, urged his troops to pull themselves together and stay positive ahead of what looks a crunch home game with Accrington Stanley on Tuesday.

He said: "It’s not good enough, but it is what it is.

"Right now I think we’re wallowing in self-pity a little bit.

"We’re worrying and focusing more on the lack of luck, which I’m not a massive believer in.

"We folded a little bit and I have to take responsibility. It’s my team."

He added: "Everything they seemed to hit in the second half went in.

"Everything we hit seemed to hit the post. Then their winger (Jamal Lowe) comes inside and bends one in the top corner with his weak foot.

"You’re stood there bewildered, but we have to stick together.

"I feel sorry for the players, because they’re trying their best.

"They’re giving everything and are just maybe feeling sorry for themselves a little bit.

"We’ve got to get ourselves out of the rut."

Skipper Curtis Nelson said: "I would never want to lose the opening three games.

"I never want to lose one game, let alone three, so it’s always going to be a disappointment.

"We need to win games, it doesn’t matter how we do it."