Karl Robinson called in the police claiming his keeper Jack Stevens was head-butted by a Sunderland coach in a “massive brawl” at half time.
The Oxford boss blasted Sunderland head coach Lee Johnson and his staff after fighting broke out in the tunnel at half time and full time after the Wearsiders clinched victory.
Robinson said: “It wasn’t alleging. My goalkeeper, he was headbutted at half time, there was a massive brawl in there.
“We have asked the police to come. Their players have seen it, our players have seen it. My player certainly felt it.
“But for some unknown reason there is no footage. Ironic here, isn’t it? They’ve had documentary cameras everywhere in the last few years.
“We will let the police deal with it. They have no cameras in the tunnel but their player saw it. Our goalkeeper will make a charge at the end of the game.
(Image: Sunderland AFC via Getty Images)
“I am furious. So many things I could say. We have to keep our dignity.”
On his own sending off after Aiden McGeady put Sunderland ahead, Robinson said: “It was a good game of football spoiled. We stopped and had a player down and the ref had to see if our player was injured. I said it is a bleeping disgrace, doing your bleeping job. No more than their bench was saying, but I got sent off.
Sunderland head coach Johnson blasted back with a warning for Robinson, who he could meet again in the League One play offs.
Johnson said: “He’s (Robinson) got to be careful, I’ll tell you that. There are always two sides to any story. Let me tell you, there was a lot of Oxford staff that didn’t come out of it smelling of roses, let’s just say that.
“I didn’t see the first incident (at half-time), but I saw the second one and, for me, it was really stepping over the mark. So, I think there’s a bit of deflection in there from a few people.
(Image: Getty Images)
“I want to draw a line under it now. For me, it’s a man’s game and we’ll crack on. It’s up to anybody else what they do, but I would be careful throwing out some of the things that I’ve heard.
“I didn’t see what happened at half-time. I was in the toilet, waiting for the boys in the dressing room wondering where everybody was. It was probably a good thing because I would have been like Scrappy Doo in there.
“Look, it happens all the time, especially in a condensed area. It was handbags a lot of it. It happened at the end as well, which is not ideal, and I think that one was provoked, to be honest with you. As a football club, I want us to act with class, but I also want us to look after each other when there’s moments.”
Lynden Gooch and Max Power got Sunderland’s goals, Power running 50 yards to celebrate with a knee slide in front of the Oxford dug out in injury time.
