Oxford United boss Chris Wilder reckons his team need to get nasty.

He says they have to get back the old winning mentality which helped win them promotion from the Conference.

And if that means forsaking some of the attractive football they have been playing in order to be more effective and ruthless again, that’s how it has to be.

“We weren’t nasty enough after the break,” Wilder said following Saturday’s 3-2 defeat at Macclesfield, in which the U’s blew a two-goal half-time lead.

“I’ve got to make sure I get the balance right,” he added.

“When I came to the football club it was a win-at-all-costs mentality. We had a saying ‘whatever it takes’ to get the three points.

“And because of the players I’ve brought into the football club, and we’re trying to build – sometimes you have to be patient.

“But I’ve got to get the balance right, from playing decent football and being a soft touch, and we were certainly a soft touch in the second half.”

Changes seem certain for United’s next game, at home to Northampton Town on Saturday, with either Mark Creighton or Jake Wright, if he’s fit, likely to return to central defence.

Defenders Wright and Damian Batt gave United a boost by completing their first full training session following injury yesterday.

And Wilder said: “I can’t wait to get Jake Wright back in. I don’t think those things happen with him in.

“I’ve obviously got to look at personnel now, because that defensive performance second half was all over the shop.”

It was the first time Oxford have conceded three goals since November 2009, when they were beaten 3-1 at Kidderminster.

Reflecting on the dilemma he has been facing, Wilder said: “We had to have that winning mentality to get out of the Conference, and we’ve done that, and we’re trying to build.

“I don’t know whether these players just want to be pretty footballers. The first half was great because they put their foot in, they headed, defended, passed it, created chances.

“Second half we just wanted to do the nice things of the game.

“The bottom line is we can’t afford to be just a nice, pleasing-on-the-eye side.

“We have to encourage the players, we have to be patient.

“But we also have to make sure we have that aggressive side to us, and in the second half we didn’t do the nasty, horrible parts of the game.

“One thing we did instill into the team was this winning mentality.

“I’ve got to make sure we get that back – and get it back for next Saturday.”