OXFORD United’s strong second-half display left head coach Michael Appleton frustrated his side had not taken all three points from a foggy Scunthorpe United.

The visitors trailed to Duane Holmes’s header at half-time, but quickly drew level through Phil Edwards.

The Sky Bet League One leaders, who boast a 21-game unbeaten league run at Glanford Park, then had to weather a storm as the U’s pressed for a second goal.

But it did not arrive and while a 1-1 draw at the Sky Bet League One leaders was a creditable result, Appleton felt it could have been even better.

He said: “We certainly created enough chances in the second half to get all three points.

“The first half was a poor game. I didn’t think there was a lot of quality from either side.

“I said to the players at half-time ‘there’s nothing in it, if you want to win the game it’s there for you’.

“The next goal was going to be big, we knew that, and I was delighted to get it within a couple of minutes.

“The lads grew in confidence from there and some decent goalkeeping and poor finishing has cost us two points.”

At one stage, just getting to the 90-minute mark looked a long shot, as fog caused problems for the second U’s game in a row.

A light mist shrouded Glanford Park at kick-off, but conditions steadily worsened to the point where the officials spent the half-time interval assessing the visibility.

They ruled it was playable, but goalscorer Edwards admitted the players were aware the game was close to being abandoned.

“The referee had a word with both managers at half-time saying he was going to keep an eye out,” he said.

“He just said if the players can’t see the ball he’ll call it off.”

Edwards joked: “We haven’t been able to see each other in the last two games. Maybe that’s why we’ve been playing better.”

Appleton’s former Preston North End teammate Graham Alexander, now in charge of Scunthorpe, appeared to agree with the assessment.

He said: “I’m pleased we took a point, because we weren’t at our best.

“I thought the early goal in the second half knocked us out of our stride a bit and it was difficult for us to recover from that.

“Oxford played well and kept us pinned in for periods of the second half.

“I was comfortable at half-time as we seemed to be in control, but that early goal changed the complexion of the game.”