Matt Bloomfield left with mixed feelings after Oxford’s draw with Hull

Oxford head coach Matt Bloomfield was pleased his team created plenty of chances in the 1-1 draw with Hull, but was disappointed they could not convert more to pick up all three points.

Mo Belloumi opened the scoring for the Tigers after four minutes with a brilliant individual effort before Cameron Brannagan shared the spoils with a first-half penalty.

Bloomfield said: “I thought we were very good, created enough opportunities to win the game, loads of big chances fell our way, but unfortunately for us we weren’t able to get the winner.

“I’m really proud of the way the players kept going, kept creating, and we could have nicked it a couple of times near the end.

“Unfortunately for us it wasn’t to be, but in terms of effort, endeavour, creativity – the feeling in the crowd which was incredible. It’s not easy against a team like Hull to come back from a goal down either so there’s lots to be pleased with.

“The response from the players in terms of the number of chances we created was fantastic. It wasn’t great in the first half with the wind against.

“Now we have to focus on repeating that performance for the last six games.

“We’ve been working really hard the last two weeks and although it’s in a pressure situation, I want our boys to go and enjoy their football and put on a performance for the crowd.

“The only way you’re going to win games is if you create chances, and you’re not going to do that if you’re too tense. It’s all about trying to relax them to play good football and I thought we played some real good football today.”

Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic admitted he was expecting a difficult game.

“The last five games Oxford had taken 10 points and they’re fighting to avoid relegation and stay in the league,” he said.

“And the wind today made the conditions very difficult for us. You never knew when the ball would stop in the air. They know how to use this wind.

“I think we handled it very well, we took the lead with a very nice goal through Mo Belloumi – a very nice goal – controlled most things and we did one mistake in midfield where we lost the ball very easy.

“So they got level 1-1 with the penalty and after that we tried things, but I felt we were without ideas on the ball. We needed better decisions in the last third.

“In the second half, we tried to fix the problems but they handled it better.

“We should be happy with a point, this is maybe a great result today. It’s always the main target to take three points, but it was an opponent today who was good and we should be happy with 1-1.

“Our position in the league is good, we have everything in our own hands. We can blame nobody else, but ourselves from here.”