JAMES Henry warned Oxford United will be in a survival scrap this season if they cannot snap out of their awful start to the season quickly.

The 2-1 defeat to Walsall was the side’s sixth loss in nine Sky Bet League One games, the club’s worst start since 2000/01.

That disastrous campaign ended in relegation and while there is 80 per cent of the season to run, United have been in the bottom four all season.

Henry said: “We’re nine games into a season and we’ve got to stop thinking it’s early days, because before you know it you’re in a dogfight and the top boys have gone.

“It’s not early days any more. Every game is crucial.”

Henry pulled a goal back, but it proved too little, too late for United, who have the second worst defensive record in the division.

And the midfielder’s frustration really lies with the fact Karl Robinson’s side have generally been performing better than their results suggest.

He said “We need to pick it up because we’re not playing badly.

“We’re just making stupid mistakes and it’s costing us every week. It’s got to stop.

“It wasn’t like we didn’t have chances. We had so many and we’re just not converting them, we’re not keeping clean sheets and everything combined at the moment just isn’t good enough.

“We’ve got to be better in both boxes, everything’s just got to be better.

“For whatever reason we’re not getting it right as players.

“We’ve got all the support behind us and it’s just not going our way.

“We have got to stand up and be men and make it go our way by taking chances and keeping the ball out of the net and stop making excuses.”