KARL Robinson felt Oxford United played into Blackpool’s hands on a disappointing afternoon at the Kassam Stadium.

The visitors were disciplined out of possession and hurt the U’s going forward as they won 2-0 to leapfrog their opponents in the Sky Bet League One table.

Blackpool did not look like losing their advantage from the moment Kenny Dougall scored his first goal for the club to put them ahead after 16 minutes.

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But Robinson felt United had already set the tone by allowing the away side to press their back line.

The U’s head coach said: “We said don’t play backwards early on, but what do we do all game?

“We play backwards.

“Then we end up giving a corner away from sloppiness from Kells (Liam Kelly), we don’t switch on to the set-play which they score from.

“It all comes from playing backwards in the first 15 minutes.”

It was a stark contrast from Tuesday’s 3-0 victory over Doncaster Rovers, when the U’s swarmed all over their opponents high up the pitch to take control.

Player ratings: What we thought of Oxford United against Blackpool

That put United within two points and two places of the play-offs, but they were unable to break into the top six for the first time this season.

“It was a big day for us and we probably needed that extra per cent of support that isn’t here, but that’s the same for every team we play,” Robinson said.

“We knew their front four would press and one of their holding midfielders joins in.

“Then you’re almost one v one in your defensive third and they look to hurt you.

“We were so naive in that.

“There were so many under-par performances, but our effort was there.”