OXFORD United began winning the game at Accrington Stanley six days earlier, according to boss Karl Robinson.

A 4-1 victory at the Crown Ground was just what was needed after a pair of 2-0 defeats at the start of the Sky Bet League One season.

After the latter result, at home to Sunderland where Robinson described spells of the performance as “atrocious”, he brought the squad in for a debrief the following day.

And the head coach was thrilled with the response.

He said: “They’ve answered all the questions I asked them on Sunday.

“It was a very pleasing win. We needed that confidence-booster.

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“Don’t forget, we’re still integrating a lot of new players that don’t know what it takes to play for our club.

“That is about dedication, team spirit, a unified club that believes in doing things correctly.

“Mistakes are part and parcel of life, it’s your reaction to it that’s important.”

Part of a changed week in training saw the players go hard at it in an intra-squad game earlier in the week.

The squad might have felt Robinson was taking a leaf out of Jose Mourinho’s book after realising it recreated a scene from the Tottenham Hotspur documentary All or Nothing.

He said: “On Tuesday we had 11 v 11, put shin pads on and said the best players today will play on Saturday.

In pictures: Oxford United's victory at Accrington Stanley

“They went toe-to-toe with each other and had a right good go.

“I watched the documentary two days later (and it was the same).

“I hope the players don’t think I robbed it from somebody else, it was my idea.”

He added: “Our record at Accrington’s not great at times, especially under me.

“I’m just pleased it’s chalked off now and we can move forward.”