TOWN boss Mark Cooper took pride in the reaction of his players after Jordan Turnbull’s sending off cost his side dear in a 2-0 defeat to Oxford United.

The side’s efforts were severely hampered by the sending off of Turnbull with the score at 0-0 and just over 30 minutes gone. The defender seeing red after kicking out at Us captain Jake Wright.

Cooper thought it was a soft dismissal, but given the situation the defender should not have given referee Gavin Ward an excuse to appease a baying home crowd.

Inevitably, considering Town’s shortage of defensive replacements on the bench, they immediately came under the cosh.

Kemar Roofe took full advantage and scored either side of half-time to allow Oxford to see out a comfortable dismissal of Town’s Football League Trophy hopes for this season.

Cooper did not want to talk about the problems of his squad make-up, but now he faces the prospect of a visit from Peterborough with one fit centre-half.

“These things come to test you and you have to stand up straight and take it on the chin,” he told the local media.

“It’s not crushing for me, it’s positive because the players put an amazing shift in.

“The boys that stayed on the pitch had to put in an incredible shift.

“For half an hour I thought we were in complete control and totally dominating the game. The sending off, bearing in mind we only had two centre-halves fit at the minute, has killed us.

“Whatever way you dress it up, whether it’s a sending off or not, that’s changed the course of the game.

“I had a look at (the red card) and it’s very, very soft.

“But Jordan needs to realise that people are allowed to touch him.

“It doesn’t mean he’s got to show he’s a big tough nut from Trowbridge, he’s got to keep his hands down, feet on the floor and be disciplined.

“As soft as the sending off was, he’s cost his mates a lot of running tonight, a place in the next round and a loss in a local derby.”