JOHNNY Mullins admitted Oxford United are not the finished article, but feels the new-look side are not far away from clicking, writes DAVID PRITCHARD.

The U’s handed competitive debuts to five players, but despite enjoying plenty of possession, Michael Appleton’s side lost 1-0.

Mullins was disappointed the U’s did not test Burton goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin more regularly, but thinks the side are picking up on what Appleton wants.

He said: “We moved the ball around without really creating anything or being too dangerous.

“We want to work the keeper through all the possession we had.

“But I think it’s a work in progress and these are early days.

“We are positive, enjoying what we’re doing and working hard to get there.”

A dead leg in the build-up to the game meant Mullins was only named on the bench, but he replaced a groggy Michael Raynes just before half-time.

The centre back had played on with a head injury, only to come off just after the goal.

Mullins could not tell if the knock contributed to Burton’s winner.

“I’m not sure to be honest, as soon as he went down I was warming up and getting ready to come on,” he said.

One debutant, Carlton Morris, was playing his first game of senior football.

It was more physical than the 18-year-old was used to, but United’s No 9 was happy with his performance.

He said: “It was different, but I adapted quite well.

“It was easy to do that with the players I had around me.

“Burton were a play-off team last year and we dominated for 90 minutes.

“We are not worried.”

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