Opposition view: Oxford boss felt Cobblers' stoppage-time equaliser shouldn't have stood

Oxford United manager Des Buckingham felt Northampton’s stoppage-time equaliser during Tuesday’s dramatic 2-2 draw should have been disallowed for offside.

Trailing 2-1 after Will Hondermarck’s goal was cancelled out by Josh Murphy and Will Goodwin, Cobblers retrieved a last-gasp point at the Kassam Stadium when Tony Springett converted Sam Hoskins’ cross in the third minute of added time.

A clearly frustrated Buckingham suggested the play should never have been allowed to get that far after Hoskins came back from offside position earlier in the move. He did not make an attempt to play the ball but the Oxford boss felt he interfered with his defenders.

"When you are 2-1 up going into the 93rd minute, you need to manage the game better,” said Buckingham. “We were still racing to take quick corners and that’s a learning for us to take because I thought we had control of the game for the large majority, certainly in the second half.

"We did enough to get ourselves back in front but we have to see out the final few minutes. I thought the subs we made were good and made a difference and we put ourselves in a strong position and I never felt we were position where we were going to concede.

“There was a hint for offside in the move that led to their equaliser, their player comes back from an offside position and he impacts the game, but it wasn’t given and there were a few things we need to deal with.

"But overall, on the balance, we did enough to win it and we should have walked away with three points.”