OXFORD United’s defeat at Bolton Wanderers was their best performance of the season, says Karl Robinson.

The Sky Bet League One clash pitted two unbeaten teams against each other and it made for an entertaining game from start to finish.

Matty Taylor put the U’s ahead after 11 minutes and it was almost the perfect first-half display, only for Dapo Afolayan to equalise from range just before the break.

Read the match report here

United began the second period better and continued to probe even after Eoin Doyle headed home at the near post in the 63rd minute.

The U's had chances and Gavin Whyte fired over the crossbar in stoppage-time, but left with nothing for the first time in 2021/22.

Robinson was upbeat at full-time though, although he was frustrated at United's lack of ruthlessness.

"It’s frustrating when the best performance of the season comes away with the least points", the U’s head coach said.

“We’ve come up against the best team we’ve played this season and in the second half we blew them away.

“We looked like a team on a one-way route to convincingly winning the game, but our decision-making in the final third wasn’t good enough.

“That’s the reality of the game – all of a sudden one player loses a man and they score.

“I leave here completely positive, I’m proud of my players and the support and the staff as well.

“We mentioned eight points (from five games) being a good start and we’re one point off that.”

He added: “Their manager, staff, players and fans also made it a great game.

“It took two good teams to go toe-to-toe today.”

United played a 4-4-2 diamond due to their mounting injury list, with James Henry, Ryan Williams and Billy Bodin all missing from the squad.

Gavin Whyte played behind Matty Taylor and Sam Winnall and the trio linked well, creating several openings.

Whyte could have snatched a point late on, but Robinson did not want to dwell on the miss.

He said: “It wasn’t even the best chance of the game, I feel like the one where Sykesy (Mark Sykes) gets in and pulls it back is an even better tap in.

“We got into some wonderful positions but we didn’t take our chances today.

“Gavin’s devastated in there, but I’m not going to have a go at Gav – he knows what I think of him.

“I’d much rather have Gavin missing that, being frustrated and being ready and raring to go next week.”