Goalkeeper Ryan Clarke was one of the few Oxford United players who could take anything from the Sky Bet League Two home defeat by Scunthorpe United yesterday.

Clarke saved Deon Burton’s first-half penalty to keep United in the match when they were trailing 1-0.

But he was left completely exposed for both goals as Burton and David Syers took full advantage of poor defending to give the Iron a 2-0 victory.

The goalkeeper acknowledged the side had fallen well below the standards expected.

He said: “A couple of mistakes have cost us, but the main thing is to a man they were better than us, all over the pitch.

“There’s not been many times this season when we have come off and said that.

“It’s not been good enough for the last two games and we know that.”