CHRIS Wilder said he could not praise his Oxford United side highly enough after they completed the double over League Two leaders Swindon against all the odds.

The U’s went into Saturday’s game missing several influential players through injury.

And when leading scorer James Constable was sent off after ten minutes, the writing looked on the wall.

But the ten men dug deep and Asa Hall scored just six minutes after Constable’s dismissal and Oli Johnson made it 2-0 two minutes later.

It was then a case of heroic defending as United held firm to record only their second double over Swindon – 38 years after the first.

“I can’t praise the players enough in the way they went about getting a result today,” Wilder said. “It was a massive effort and big result.

“We rode our luck at times and we have been indebted to some fantastic goalkeeping and last-ditch defending, but we fully understood that was going to be the case when you go down to ten men so early.”

United’s manager felt the reaction of the Swindon players to the challenge that saw Constable sent off contributed to his dismissal.

But said that the reaction from his side could not be faulted.

“Maybe this is slightly controversial, but maybe they have tried to wind him up and said that any time the centre forward goes up for a challenge, surround the referee,” he said.

“I thought it was poor that you had players running from 60 or 70 yards to get to the referee.

“The boy jumped straight back up and maybe we’ve been hoodwinked a little bit.”

He added: “Lee Holmes has stuck a good ball in for Asa to get the touch and then a quality bit of play by Lee got us the second goal quickly afterwards which was a big lift.

“We’ve lost our skipper (Jake Wright) and arguably our best player (Peter Leven) for the biggest game of the season, but the reaction has been superb.

“When your backs are against the wall, the true spirit of players comes out and it has done today.”

Like his opposite number Paolo Di Canio, Wilder donned a scarf and suit for the match, but said the similarities between the duo end there.

“I’m here in my Oxford scarf and my Marks and Spencer suit, but I’m not like Paolo am I?” he asked.

“Although I guess if it was from Markso Spencero I might be!”