DES Buckingham was delighted with the encouraging team display from his Oxford United side as they beat Premier League side Southampton in pre-season.
First half goals from Mark Harris and Ruben Rodrigues proved enough for the U’s to claim a 2-0 win at Grenoble Road.
Harris finished well from a Rodrigues cross 10 minutes before the break, with the latter doubling the lead shortly before half-time with a composed effort from the edge of the penalty area.
While the Saints dominated possession and territory for large periods of the second half, they were unable to find a route through to goal.
United head coach Buckingham said: “It’s everything we could’ve asked for. They’re a wonderful team and played some really good football last year, and they’re a Premier League side and there for a reason. They’ve got some good players.
“They may be a week or two behind where we are in pre-season because their season starts a little bit later than ours, but in terms of a test in what we’re going to face, I couldn’t have asked for a better game for us.
“I said after Mansfield that it’s about arriving at Norwich in a good space. What was really pleasing was that we got fitness, and it plays a major role to get us sharp for what we need to do.
“Defensively we were set and sound, and the players were really clear on what we did. That has to form the base.
“We want to be a team that plays with the ball, but the other side of our game has to be right, and that was the pleasing thing.”
The U’s defended their lead superbly in the second period, denying the Saints space to work in.
Buckingham said: “We know the type of football we want to play, and we know that’s going to be very difficult in this league.
“We won’t shy away from still trying to play football, and the way that we want. We’ve tried to make sure that we’ve recruited players that will allow us to play at a higher level, and play that football.
“Whether it’s defending a lead or defending in general, we know the league we’re going into and the types of player, and the calibre of teams.
“We won’t shy away from that. I don’t want to be a coach that sets our team up and tries not to lose, or to sit on the edge of the box and try to defend for the game.”