Oxford United: Michael Appleton hails dominant display
Last updated on .From the section Football
Oxford head coach Michael Appleton felt his side were so dominant against Stevenage that they would have beaten them even if they had had 12 players.
Striker Ryan Taylor scored twice as United thrashed Teddy Sheringham's side 5-1 to move up to second in League Two.
Stevenage were reduced to nine men with a red card in each half, but Appleton was far from sympathetic for them.
"If they'd have had 12 men we would have still won. I think we were that good today," he told BBC Radio Oxford.
"I thought it was a really professional performance with bags of quality and discipline, purpose and patience.
"The first five minutes were as well as we've started a game all season, we could have scored two or three goals in that time."
Oxford returned to winning ways following a first home defeat of the season by Barnet the previous weekend - a result Appleton feels may have come at the right time.
"It's one of those where we have a defeat and you're looking for a reaction," he added. "Maybe the Barnet game was a blessing in disguise. We talked about possible complacency coming into our performance.
"Sometimes every now and then you need a wake-up call and I think that was it."
