Woes continue for Portsmouth, Bolton Wanderers and Derby County promotion rivals as Oxford United’s slide under new boss goes on

New Oxford boss Des Buckingham rued dropping more points in the League One promotion as his winless start continued.

The U’s made it four League One games without a maximum since Buckingham succeeded Liam Manning after his departure for Bristol City, drawing 1-1 at struggling Reading.

Striker Sam Smith’s goal just before the break cancelled out Ciaron Brown’s opener in the Thames Valley Derby at the Royals’ home.

There was no winner for Buckingham’s side, however, with it two League One defeats and two draws in four to leave them fifth in the table - eight points behind Pompey in top spot.

The new Oxford boss didn’t pull any punches, as he acknowledged it’s two points which slipped out of his side’s grasp in the race to reach the Championship.

Buckingham believes injuries are biting hard for his side at present, however, with the likes of Ruben Rodrigues and Greg Leigh sidelined.

He told the Oxford Mail: ‘It’s two points dropped, they’re a team we should be coming here and taking full points off.

‘I thought we had more control in the game and the thing that’s crying out is that bit in the final third, and making sure we can finish off the possession and play that we do have.

‘When we’re missing a few of our key players, which we clearly are, it’s important that we get goals from other ways, and we’ll continue to work on it.

‘We spoke about having control and making sure we play the way we wanted to, and I think we did that in patches.

‘We changed the shape – we’ve lost a couple of key players and Billy Bodin wasn’t fit to start, and we lost Ruben as well for tonight.

‘They’re two key players and two top goalscorers, on top of Greg Leigh of course, so we’re missing goals from the team.

‘It’s ’s a strange feeling, it’s one where you want to come here and win the game, but we must make sure that we come away with at least something.

'I thought we created enough to come away with a win, but we didn’t hit the back of the net.’

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