A LATE equaliser from George Baldock saw Oxford United come from behind to draw 1-1 with Morecambe, but the full back admitted it still felt like two points dropped.

The Shrimps looked set for a smash-and-grab raid as they defended doggedly after Kevin Ellison gave them an early lead at the Kassam Stadium.

United started poorly before gaining control of the game, but chances were few and far between.

Baldock finally salvaged something with a looping 87th-minute shot and the hosts almost claimed victory late on when Patrick Hoban’s effort was cleared off the line.

The goalscorer, a loanee from MK Dons, was pleased to avoid what would have been a costly defeat, but acknowledged the game had not gone to plan.

He said: “The fans didn’t see many clear chances, but we could’ve won it at the end – the ball’s been cleared off the line twice.

“It could’ve been a very big downer and luckily it’s just a little blip.

“The boys are in there hurting, they believe that’s two points dropped rather than a point gained, but when you’re 1-0 down late on, you take a point in that situation.”

United had played well in their previous two games, drawing 0-0 at Portsmouth on Saturday and beating Mansfield Town 3-0 the week before.

So the sluggish fashion in which they began came as a surprise to head coach Michael Appleton.

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He said: “We were a bit bemused between us about how poorly we started, it’s hard to put a finger on that.

“Sometimes you’ve got to give the opposition credit, but it’s not as if they had an electric start themselves.

“I suppose you’ve got to be satisfied in the end, but I’m disappointed again because the opposition have literally had one shot on target.”

The home crowd grew more frustrated as the night went on, before Baldock’s strike. The defender sympathised, but sought to explain the side’s patient approach.

He said: “We’re not passing sideways and backwards for no reason, there is a purpose to it.

“Sometimes it doesn’t pay off, but we are trying to play attractive football and win games.”