MICHAEL Appleton has told his Oxford United side they must become more clinical.

Despite a superb first-half display against Portsmouth on Saturday, the U’s led by only Liam Sercombe’s 33rd-minute strike.

With Danny Hylton and Kemar Roofe squandering great chances, the hosts were made to pay when Adam McGurk equalised on 61 minutes.

Despite the visitors going down to ten men in the closing stages, United were unable to find a winner, leaving Appleton rueing what might have been.

“I think it was there for everyone to see, we should have put it to bed in the first half,” United’s head coach commented.

“We had three, four or maybe five glorious opportunities, but their keeper had a very good day.

“But against a side like Portsmouth, that are going to be up there at the end of the season, you need to take those chances.

“We didn’t and paid the price.”

Watched by a season’s best crowd of more than 9,000, the U’s played some terrific football in the opening period.

But they failed to hit the heights after the break, conceding a poor goal which put the visitors on the front foot until Michael Doyle saw red eight minutes from time.

And the manner of the equaliser did not please Appleton.

“I am very disappointed in their goal for a couple of reasons,” he said.

“They made a change and we knew McGurk would play off Tubbs a little bit. When he got the ball we didn’t close him down quickly enough.

“But also, it is a hell of a long way out. We should do much better with that.”

He added: “It’s frustrating, but we have got to move on quickly.

“The support was magnificent and that’s getting better and better with every game.

“The more people that come through the turnstiles, the more the players enjoy the atmosphere.”