MICHAEL Appleton thought the qualities shown by Oxford United in beating Dagenham & Redbridge 1-0 made it an even better result than their previous away game in Sky Bet League Two.

His side thrashed Stevenage 5-1 three weeks earlier, but a repeat never looked likely on Saturday.

Dagenham produced a full-throttle performance which was good enough to win a game played in a bitterly cold wind.

It took a wholehearted defensive display to earn a clean sheet, which paved the way for Kemar Roofe’s wonderful free-kick five minutes from time to take the three points.

The mixture of commitment and class left Appleton delighted.

“It’s one thing winning 5-1 at Stevenage one week, but to put in a steely performance like this to take the points with a fantastic goal could make all the difference come the end of the season,” he said.

“It was always going to be a day of fine margins, but I thought we defended well when we had to at certain periods of the game.”

United’s match-winner had struggled to get in the game for the first hour, but struck the crossbar with a brilliant shot on the turn a quarter of an hour before his free-kick.

Appleton, who first worked with the forward in West Brom’s youth set-up a decade ago, is no longer surprised by anything he conjures up.

He said: “Not at all, I’ve known him since he was 12.

“That’s why even when he’s had a quieter game you keep him on the pitch, because he can produce that.

“The shot where he hit the bar was really impressive, it was probably only him and (Jamie) Cureton on the pitch who would have even attempted it.

“The fact he had the audacity to try it just shows the confidence he had going into the free-kick.

“He felt it was going to be his day.”