Last year's player-of-the-year Luke Foster was torn off a strip by Oxford United boss Darren Patterson after last night's 2-0 defeat at Wrexham.

Foster was sent off after just 11 minutes at the Racecourse Ground and although they battled with ten men for the remaining hour and 20 minutes, the U's fell to goals from Steve Evans and their former striker Jefferson Louis.

Patterson said: "I'm furious with Luke. It's been coming, his performances haven't been good enough.

"He's a great lad, he got double player-of-the-year last season and he thinks he is right now.

"He's gone away from what he's good at, and that's defending it properly - good discipline, heading it, kicking it, passing it simple."

"For whatever reason, it seems to have gone to his head and we need to get him back to what he was."

Louis gave the U's back line a tough time, and Patterson couldn't help but be impressed by the 6ft 2in centre forward, who began his career with Thame United - even if he did have a penalty saved by U's keeper Jake Cole.

"If Jefferson can play like that, consistently, he wouldn't be at this level," Patterson added. I thought he was a handful for us all night, and fair play to him."

It was Oxford's third defeat in their first four Blue Square Premier games, and the second away game in succession that they had to play a long time with ten men. At Barrow, James Clarke was sent off in the first half.

The U's fought back well in the second half and James Constable and Lewis Haldane had chances to equalise, before Louis sealed Wrexham's victory in injury time.

Patterson couldn't fault his ten men for their effort.

"Considering the sending-off was so early, we were excellent, really," he said. "The spirit, determination, fitness - I thought we passed the ball well and we're creating chances.

"If you're doing that against ten men, against one of the better teams in this league, then you're going to have one hell of a chance.

"There was Lewis's free-kick, and then when Lewis had it blocked as well. We were down to ten men but were forcing the issue, which was positive, and great for me to see."

United skipper Adam Murray said: "There's no excuses for the sending-off, it was a poor mistake."

"If we can't keep ten men on the pitch we aren't going to win football matches."

Patterson said: "At the end I've told Luke exactly what I was thinking, but I've told the rest of them they were excellent."

  • The defeat meant United still have yet to win at the Racecourse Ground and the U's have not won a match on Setanta TV in ten attempts.