MICHAEL Appleton is confident some players in his young Oxford United side will have a career at the highest level – if they can learn from their experiences this season.

The U’s are on course for their highest finish in more than two decades, but while a run to the Sky Bet League One play-offs is still not impossible, recent displays against the top two sides show there is a gap which needs bridging.

Bolton Wanderers won 4-2 at the Kassam Stadium on Tuesday night, a fortnight after leaders Sheffield United ran out 3-2 winners.

The U’s had the quality to trouble clubs, who have far bigger playing budgets, but ultimately fell just short.

In both games, half the players involved for United were aged 24 or under and Appleton knows there is a lot of potential which, if fulfilled, can take some of his squad all the way to the top flight.

United’s head coach said: “There’s loads of things they can improve and be better at – and they will be.

“But ultimately that’s the reason why some of our young players are still at this level and aren’t in the Championship or Premier League yet.

“I say ‘yet’ because there’s one or two of them who will do. As long as they improve and learn from it then I cope with that.”

The midweek defeat was United’s final game in hand on most of their play-off rivals.

With eight games remaining they are five points adrift of the top-six, leaving them with a tall order to mount a serious bid.

Appleton, whose side also have a Wembley appearance in the Checkatrade Trophy next weekend, has felt all along the fixture congestion made United long shots.

He said: “We’ve got eight games left and I want to try to win as many as possible. I’m not going to give myself a hernia if we don’t get into the play-offs, but we’ll give it as good a shot as we can.

“While it is still mathematically possible, we will keep pushing.”

Striker Kane Hemmings said: “We know there are still a lot of games and it’s all to play for.“We’ll dust ourselves down and go again.

“It’s a big game at Northampton on Saturday.

“There are eight games left and we’re more than capable of winning the vast majority.”