KARL Robinson praised Oxford United's patience as Matty Taylor's late goal fired them back into the play-off positions.

It looked like they were about to drop points against struggling Southend United, who had cancelled out James Henry's penalty.

The home side, playing their ninth game in February, looked well below their best.

Match report: Oxford Utd 2, Southend Utd 1

But six minutes from time Taylor collected Marcus Browne's cross and his shot on the turn earned a 2-1 victory.

Robinson, United's head coach, said: "The pitch was so dry. The wind took every ounce of moisture out of it, weirdly after all the rain last night.

"Every pass was behind us, every counter-attack was slow.

"Every mistake we made was amplified by the fact we were getting worse.

"But the big thing for me was how calm we stayed.

"Amongst all the negative things that could have gone against us, we kept our heads down and trying to do the right things."

He added: "My players in there are knackered, they’re so tired. It looked like we didn’t have that zest we normally have.

"It’s been a long week and a long month."

Taylor's strike was his seventh in six games, taking his tally for the season to 17.

The striker said: "I just took a touch and shaped to go on my right to nick half a yard and hope he would go to block it.

"I always had it in my head to swivel on my left.

"As soon as I turned and hit it I could see it was going into the far corner, so I was buzzing.

"I love scoring goals and long may it continue."