JOSH Cullen left Oxford’s Kassam Stadium last week with an unusual feeling.

The midfielder is simply not used to losing.

City’s first setback of the season came as a shock generally – but for Cullen it was only the fifth time he had suffered the bitter taste of defeat in 28 outings for the club.

The 20-year-old has proved the ultimate talisman since first arriving from West Ham in February.

But there was no chance of the on-loan midfielder getting giddy about a points ratio with him in the team that would earn automatic promotion if stretched over a full campaign.

“It’s a long hard season and we’d be pretty stupid to think we’re not going to have any low points,” said Cullen.

“It would be silly to think you could go through undefeated.

“You always have lows in a season and it’s about dealing with those and not letting anything affect us. We don’t need to change what we’re doing on the training field.

“Nothing has changed. It’s key for us not to get too high or too low.”

An injury-time defeat followed by a home draw with Southend scarcely qualifies as a crisis. But given how City had been smoothly moving through the gears up to that point, this week has represented a bit of a pot hole.

They still head into the tasty Yorkshire derby against Sheffield United on Saturday in second spot – although the Blades could overhaul them with victory.

City’s early progress has attracted plaudits from within the football community and Cullen has sensed positive feedback from the Hammers. Not that he will let that take his eye off the ball.

Cullen added: “It’s nice to hear that people are saying good things about us but we’ve got to keep our feet on the ground.

“It’s natural when a team is doing well that people start talking about you.

“But it’s important that we try to block that out as much as we can.

“As a group of players, we can’t afford to look beyond the next game.”

City gained a point on leaders Scunthorpe who surprisingly slipped up at Oldham in midweek.

But Southend’s second-half fightback to claim a draw allowed Bolton and rampant Sheffield United to close right up behind Stuart McCall’s side.

A four-point cushion in second spot before the Oxford game has now been trimmed to goal difference in front of former boss Phil Parkinson.

Cullen insists that will not cause any waves within the dressing room.

He said: “We’re fully aware that a couple of wins pushes you right up the table. But a couple of poor ones and you soon notice your position suffers.

“We’re not taking too much notice of the league standings. The only time that matters is come the end of the season.

“We’re only a quarter of the way through so it’s still very early.

“There’s no let-up in this league. We’ve got a good squad and everyone is going to be needed to step in and do a job for the team.

“There’s not too much time to sit back and think ‘we’re doing well’ because the next game is always just around the corner.

“The confidence is high and we’ll approach it thinking we can get three points. That doesn’t change.”