Josh Murphy credits U’s ‘brotherhood’ for seeing Grecians win out

JOSH Murphy reckons the Oxford United of old may have dropped potentially precious points in their crucial clash at Exeter City.

The U’s took a 2-0 lead into the break, thanks to goals from Mark Harris and Cameron Brannagan.

After a fairly lacklustre display from his side, Grecians boss Gary Caldwell made a double substitution at half-time, bringing on Dion Rankine and Jack Aitchinson for Caleb Watts and Sonny Cox.

The changes switched the momentum in the game, as Exeter pulled a goal back through Millenic Alli seven minutes into the second period, and then grew more into the match.

United though held firm and carved out a handful of openings on the counter-attack, before managing the game admirably.

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Murphy said: “That was one of our criticisms earlier in the season, that we were giving up winning positions and drawing games when we shouldn’t have done that.

“That was a learning curve because maybe two months ago, this game ends in a draw.

“Credit to the boys for sticking in there and grinding it out. There are many ways to win a football game, and it’s not always going to be pretty.

“Three points are three points, and we got over the line, and that’s what it’s about.”

He added: “In the last five or six weeks, the boys have pulled together because everyone is so good off the pitch.

“It’s like a brotherhood, and we’ve pulled together, and put in some really good performances.

“This wasn’t our best performance, but we dug in and everyone ran that extra yard for each other to get us over the line, and that’s what it’s all about.”