Chris Wilder rued “a mad ten minutes” as his Oxford United team squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Wycombe at the Kassam Stadium on Saturday.

It was a richly entertaining spectacle for the 9,309 spectators, but the U’s were kicking themselves after looking good for all three points with an hour gone.

Yet after Alfie Potter had inspired them into what should have been a winning advantage, two lapses of concentration in three minutes allowed second-placed Wyc-ombe back in.

Overall, Wilder was pleased with the response his players showed after last week's capitulation at Bury.

But their failure to see Saturday’s match out annoyed him.

He lamented: “I’m gutted we haven’t won that game.

“I thought we were great from the start and especially in the first half, but we had a mad ten minutes.

“Their keeper made three or four good saves and we should have had a penalty. The decisions didn’t go for us.

“At the end we got over the disappointment of them getting back into the game.

“They’re a good side and they’re not going to lie down, which is credit to Gary Waddock, and that’s why they’re up there.

“But for us, we’ve again not won a game that we should have seen out.

“It’s happened too many times here. And that’s the difference between us and Wycombe at the moment.

“Also, I think I made a mistake in taking James Constable off.”

United’s faint play-off hopes are now over, and with the tough remaining fixtures they have, it will not be easy even to finish in the top half of the table.

Said Wilder: “The commitment and attitude were first class, a hell of a lot better than last week.

“For next season, we need to tighten up on certain parts of the game.

“Defending has been a key one because we should have seen that out and won the game.

“But for anybody watching that would have been really entertaining, with the quality on show.

“If we can turn six or seven games we should have won into wins next season, we’ll be right there.”

Goalscorer Alfie Potter admitted: “I was pleased with the goal, and the assist, but it didn’t really feel as good as it should have done.

“I think we should have got the win.

“We just had a ten-minute spell where we weren’t at the races.”