OXFORD United boss Chris Wilder insists Saturday’s defeat was just one of those games you have to forget.

The U’s suffered a setback to their play-off hopes when they lost 2-0 at home to 17th-placed Hereford.

They dominated possession, but were stung by two classic counter-attack goals from Hereford’s top scorer, Stuart Fleetwood, as the Bulls chalked up a remarkable sixth away win of 2011.

Some fans were critical of United for being too intricate in their passing, especially in and around the box, and, on what was billed Military Day at the Kassam Stadium, for being shot-shy.

But Wilder says it is his management style to try to get Oxford playing through opponents rather than lumping the ball forward, and that will not change.

“I’m not going to compromise on the way we play,” he said. “It was a decent performance.

“We’re not going to get two beanpole forwards and just smack it up there.

“That’s not the way we want to play and, on the whole, it’s suited us well since I’ve been here, and it will serve us well in the future.

“You just sometimes have to take days like this on the chin.”

The U’s boss added: “I can’t batter my team in the dressing room.

“From tee to green they’ve done really well, but as always it’s about the two main parts of the pitch – in both boxes.

“We switched off for their virtually one and only attack of the first half, then the second goal late on came when we were pushing people forward to try to get an equaliser.

“It was a case of missed chances, we switch off for the one and only time in the first half, and the boy Fleetwood’s a predator, and scores.

“Fair play to Hereford, they sat in and made it difficult for us. You can’t expect opposition teams to come here and be gung-ho.

“We possibly needed to take a bit more responsibility in and around the box, and anticipate a little more, take a shot now and again.

“But we’re trying to play through teams and we’ve been successful with it.”

Hereford manager Jamie Pitman said Oxford were the best team he has seen, since he took charge.

“I thought they passed it well, but we dug in very well, rode our luck at times, and as a team worked very hard.”

It was United’s seventh home defeat of the campaign, but they will look to bounce back immediately at Lincoln tomorrow.

Left back Anthony Tonkin said: “We’re gutted we haven’t won because we’d have gone into the play-off places.

“I thought we played well, apart from finishing off our chances and two sloppy goals conceded.

“But we can’t dwell on it. we’ll dust ourselves down and get ready for Tuesday.”