Mansfield Town manager Adam Murray blamed the exertions of a physically tough past two weeks and a growing injury list for Saturday’s 3-0 capitulation at Oxford.

Goals in either half by McDonald were added to by a Hylton penalty.

The Stags offered little up front, despite the occasional flash of loan wingman’s Jeffrey Monakana potential on his debut a day after joining the club.

Murray said: “A lot of it is down to fatigue. It’s not an excuse, it’s a valid reason.

“We have had two really tough weeks and all the efforts the boys have put in in the last few games were there for everybody to see. You have seen the result of that today.

“I understand totally why we lost like that. I know where we are as a team and as a football club at the minute.

“I expected a lot more. But we gave away two poor goals and a penalty.

“But let’s not lose sight of the fact these boys have given 200 per cent in the last couple of games and run through brick walls. They couldn’t do that today.

“It’s not excuses. I am just up front with the truth. In the last three days we have had lads in the treatment room and I have had to just roll them out again this morning. So we were always going to be up against it.”