Curle tells fringe players 'don't come knocking on my door' after 'failing to deliver' in Oxford defeat

Keith Curle does not expect any of his fringe players to come 'knocking on my door' asking for more game-time after they were badly found wanting against Oxford City in the FA Cup on Monday.

Luka Racic, Joe Martin, Mark Marshall, Benny Ashley-Seal, Morgan Roberts and Caleb Chukwuemeka are among those on the edges of the squad who had a rare opportunity to stake a claim at Marsh Lane.

However, it turned into a disastrous evening as Town slumped to an embarrassing cup exit. The back three had rings run around them by Oxford, the midfield never got a foothold and the front two were easily contained by the home defence.

"Every time a player puts the shirt on and takes to the pitch to represent the club, it's an opportunity for me to learn where they are on their development path," said Curle. "Some agents have been contacting me and some players have been banging on my door saying 'I need an opportunity, I need an opportunity'.

"I've given them that opportunity but I don't think I will need to reinforce my door because not many people will be knocking that door when I make my selections, whether that be for the team, whether that be for the 18 or whether that be for the travelling squad. They were 63 places below us and we didn't compete so evidently they have not taken their chance."

Curle can't afford to burn too many bridges, though, given the fixture list with Town currently on a run of 13 games in two months. However, whilst those fringe players will be needed again, they must earn back their manager's trust.

"I was looking for a big performance on Monday because it was a great opportunity and a great stage in a great competition for players to ply their trade but they didn't perform and they didn't deliver," Curle added. "They failed.

"It's going to take a while to get that performance, individually, out of my mind. That's the starting point now because players now have to build that trust back up and build that relationship back up.

"If they want another opportunity, well, the last time they were given one, they didn't deliver. You've got to rebuild that relationship and you do that by working hard."