'We've shaded a close game' - Darren Moore delighted with Doncaster Rovers' win over Oxford United

Darren Moore was delighted with the resolve of his side as Doncaster Rovers edged out on-form Oxford United for a ninth win from their last ten League One matches.
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Goals from Jon Taylor, Fejiri Okenabirhie and Taylor Richards helped Rovers on their way to a 3-2 triumph despite spending much of the game on the back foot.

"We've shaded a real close game," Moore said.

"We scored some good goals and when they got it back to 3-2 it was about resilient defending at that stage.

Darren MooreDarren Moore
Darren Moore
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"I just thought maybe at times we could have used the ball better, with the decision making and composure.

"But it's a small gripe in the game because Oxford played their part and pressed and harried us really well.

"I thought the goals that we scored were good goals in terms of the level of the match and composure of the finishes.

"Ultimately, we took our chances when they came and we had to do that in a game like this. “And we knew we had to shut the door at the other end because we know the quality that Oxford have."

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Rovers struggled to get going in the game but took the lead against the run of play on the half hour as Taylor netted on the counter attack.

Moore admits he was disappointed with the manner of his side’s possession play but was delighted with their second half response with the goals from Okenabirhie and Richards coming inside the first six minutes.

“We’d worked so well off the ball to get it but when we did get it, we gave it back too cheaply with wrong decisions,” he said.

“We spoke about that at half time and I said to them to settle down a bit more and impose yourself more on the game.

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“It was bitty and scratchy in the first half but I felt we made better decisions on it in the second half, when to hold onto it and when to give it to players in advanced positions.

“The second half was much better.

“To say they had got the goal just before the break and their tails will have been up, our response in the second half was very good, in that first 15 or 20 minute spell.

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