Oxford United boss Michael Appleton relieved at point from Mansfield Town clash

“For 10 minutes we were rubbish but then after that we got back into it and settled down a little bit,” he said.

“We dealt with their direct play and got into positions earlier that made us favourites for the long balls up to the strikers a lot more. We started to improve and got into the game a bit more, which was encouraging.

“The message at half-time was to make sure we start right. We did that and in the second half we were good, very good at times.

“A couple of better decisions in the box and we could have won it.”

He added: I have forgotten the number of times Kemar (Roofe) drove into the box late in the game.

“A couple of ricochets might have gone our way and you never know, we might have won the game. It was one we certainly would have lost last season.

“I am disappointed not to have won it, but make no bones about it we were very lucky in the first 10 minutes.

“We should have been 2-0 down and possibly 3-0. The character we showed to come back from that I have got to be happy with.”