KARL Robinson says Oxford United are desperate to make up for their last-minute derby defeat – starting with tonight’s visit of Ipswich Town.

The U’s return to the Kassam Stadium three days after they conceded twice late on to lose to Swindon Town for the first time since 2001.

It was yet another setback in a difficult season and left United only above the Sky Bet League One relegation zone on goal difference.

Karl Robinson: Oxford United can take heart from my first full season in charge

Robinson and his players were deeply frustrated at the manner of the defeat, with the U’s head coach revealing it made him feel worse than July’s play-off final loss to Wycombe Wanderers.

“I don’t think anyone has been seen out because we respect the criticism we’re going to get,” he said.

“I think it hurts more than the play-off game.

“I accept the criticism, but I don’t accept that we don’t care – I care more than anything in the world.

“We’re in this to do our best every single day.

“We have a fully-motivated group of people here who are deeply hurting.

“Don’t think at any stage we don’t understand the importance of this to the fans and Oxfordshire in general.”

United invited Swindon on to them in the second half and it was unsurprising when they conceded the equaliser with five minutes remaining.

Robinson is determined his side do not make the same mistakes again, but admitted he needed time to process the result.

He said: “It was a difficult Saturday night.

“I actually went home and sat in a dark room on my own for 30 minutes, just trying to think of different things I’ve been through and different emotions that I’ve felt.

“I wanted to get some sort of clarity on what had just happened.

“Anyone who knows me knows the first person I’ll blame is always myself and what I could have done.”

The defeat was hard to take for all the players, but especially those who grew up in Oxfordshire.

Matty Taylor, Jordan Obita, Josh Ruffels and Sam Long all started the derby and the latter is acutely aware how important it is that United put Saturday behind them.

He said: “I knew straight away how much it meant to everyone, including myself.

“I’ve got friends and family who follow Oxford and I didn’t look at my phone after the game for a few hours.

“I was embarrassed and just as hurt as anybody else.

“All we can do is try to put that to bed, focus on the games coming up and try to put a run together.”