OXFORD United richly deserved the derby spoils for the way they hit back from falling behind to coolly beat Swindon Town, according to head coach Michael Appleton.

The Robins scored for the first time in five meetings with their old enemy when Fankaty Dabo broke the deadlock in the 19th minute.

It was part of an error-strewn start to the game from the visitors, but they patiently found a way back into the contest.

A good spell before half-time hinted at what could follow and United’s pressure paid off with a quickfire double from Liam Sercombe and Rob Hall to secure a 2-1 victory.

“I thought their goal and a couple of opportunities they had in the first half were our own doing with silly mistakes and poor defending, “ Appleton said.

“At half-time we were quite calm.

“We knew what we were doing wrong and what we had to do to put it right.

“I just felt with a little more quality in the final third we would win the game.

“I asked the defenders to keep a clean sheet and I knew that would be enough.

“I thought in the second half we completely dominated.”

Handling the derby day atmosphere and staying calm was the key to Appleton’s pre-match team talk.

And his players were as good as their word – they only had two players cautioned, while five Town names made their way into referee Darren Deadman’s notebook.

In stoppage time goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux, who was dismissed in the defeat at the Kassam Stadium in September, saw red for a tackle on Kane Hemmings.

Appleton said: “We’ve been very good at staying disciplined.

“The reality is they lost theirs.

“The keeper’s got a lot to say for himself, but the problem is he keeps costing his team.

“Eventually he will grow up.”

The ill feeling between the sides boiled over after the final whistle.

Several Swindon players took exception to Chris Maguire’s celebrations, while it was clear there was an ugly fracas in the tunnel as the players headed to the changing rooms.

Appleton declined to comment on what had happened, but arrived at the post-match interviews with a small cut on his right cheek.

He said: “It’s just the typical frustrations of the home team who have lost another derby.

“That’s eight they’ve not won now.

“A bit of frustration crept in, but it’s nothing you wouldn’t expect every Saturday.”