Oxford United v Doncaster Rovers: Darren Moore hoping Doncaster can learn from late setbacks

Rovers have conceded costly goals in the 89th minute or later in three of their last four matches – leaving them with two points from those games when arguably they should have had nine.

Boss Moore rejects any suggestion his ultra-attacking approach should make way for a more conservative style in the later stages of matches.

But he insists his players must learn the lessons of the late disappointment they have suffered.

“In one sense you don’t want to go through these experiences but in the other, through these experiences you learn and develop,” Moore said. “We are grateful for them, as hard as they are to take at the time.

“Last weekend, my disappointment was that against Portsmouth my players didn’t get their rewards because it was as good a clean performance as I’ve seen from us and the type of performance you want to see here.

“So I would say to the players more of the same please.

“But also I would ask what have we learned from the latter part of these games when we have been going hard to get a result?

“I will still maintain that we carry on the same but there are other areas mentally where we can improve.

“We’ll be looking to do so because of the experiences we’ve had over the last few weeks.

“Hopefully it’s something for us all to learn from – myself and the players – and we can take it into the games that are up and coming.”

Rovers travel to Oxford United today, looking to maintain their unbeaten away record in League One this season.

Hosts Oxford have lost just one of their last 11 matches in all competitions.

Moore believes the U’s are seeing the benefits of manager Karl Robinson having time to build a squad to tackle the division.

He said: “They’re a very good team and Karl knows this league inside out.

“He’s carefully put together a fantastic team and it is no surprise that they have started the season so well because they have a clear structure.

“They have good players, they manage the ball well, understand each other’s roles and responsibilities and they carry a goal threat.

“It’s a game we are looking forward to and it’s two teams that have started relatively strongly going head to head.”