FOOTBALL: We switched off, admits Ford (From The Oxford Times)

FOOTBALL: We switched off, admits Ford

10:00am Monday 4th March 2013 in Football

Oxford City manager Mike Ford believes his side could have got more from the 3-1 Blue Square Bet North defeat at Altrincham if they had preserved their lead until half-time, writes Matthew Bruce.

Ford pinpointed Altrincham’s leveller just before the interval as the game-changer.

He said: “That was a real turning-point because it gave them a lift.

“We should have gone in at half time 1-0 up – we were outstanding in the first half.

“We were compact, we kept the ball really well, we were threatening and then we switched off just before half time. And we go in at 1-1 when we should have been at least a goal up.”

And Ford feels that if his side had made the most of their opportunities they could have brought the points back to Oxford.

He added: “The period after half-time up until the 80th minute they dominated.

“But we dominated the first 45 and the last ten, so we had more of the game than them.

“But when they had it they were more threatening and in the end deserved to win.”