KARL Robinson said Oxford United’s aggression in defending from the front was key to the U’s keeping a clean sheet in the overwhelming 4-0 win at Charlton Athletic.

Matty Taylor hit a first-half double, before a first goal from Sam Baldock on his first league start for United, and a late fourth from Cameron Brannagan, secured three points on the road.

Robinson said: “This is a great win, a real pleasing performance from our players.

“It was scintillating in a lot of ways, the chances we took were great goals and it’s a pleasing victory.

“Every goal was very difficult to stop – today we got the result that our play deserved.”

In terms of the clean sheet, Robinson added: “We kept a clean sheet, which has been the ultimate criticism of us in the last six games.

“We didn’t keep a clean sheet because we defended well, we kept a clean sheet because we were attacking.

“Our desire to recover was incredible – them four in front of the back three were immense.”

In what was at times a fiery encounter – the hosts had six players booked, in addition to former U’s man Sean Clare being sent off, while United themselves picked up four yellow cards – Robinson raised concern over his players picking up an injury late on.

“I was worried about one of our players getting injured with the tackles late on, I was very pleased the officials only put two or three minutes up, it was sensible,” he said.

One player who did go off was Luke McNally, with a ‘kick on the foot’. Robinson said the extent of the problem was unknown and that the young defender would have to go for an x-ray.

Robinson said: “The back three looked outstanding and it’s not something I want to change too much.”