James Constable could face a serious challenge this season to finishing as the top scorer at Oxford United.

Tom Craddock is now on spot kick duties, after Beano missed three last season – Matt Green and Jack Midson also missed penalties last season – and the former Middlesbrough forward tucked his first Oxford pen away well against Northampton at the Kassam Stadium last Saturday.

That took Craddock’s goals tally for the season to seven, one behind Constable, two having come at former club Luton.

Alfie Potter and Josh Payne’s goals against the Cobblers were their first of the season.

Manwhile, United’s players are getting noticed, it seems.

There were more than half a dozen scouts from Championship clubs at the Northampton game. Among them were Cardiff, Sheffield United, Reading and Ipswich, who have been regular visitors to the Kassam Stadium.

And while it was easy to understand Ipswich’s representative being there, ahead of their Carling Cup tie against Northampton, other scouts were clearly casting their eye over players who they feel might be able to make the step up two divisions.

United’s Ryan Clarke, Alfie Potter and Harry Worley may have been the ones attracting attention.

Respected goalkeeping coach Alan Hodgkinson is a big admirer of Clarke.

He said: “I haven’t seen a better keeper this season.

“Not for consistency. I know he had that small problem at Macclesfield, but that was just with his decision-making one time. Overall, though, he’s been fantastically consistent this season.

“There are very few good goalkeepers in this country, in my opinion. You can count the number of decent English goalkeepers in the Premier League on one hand.

“And look at (Kasper) Schmeichel for Leeds the other night. He had a terrible time.”

Hodgkinson, who worked at Man-chester United for seven years, is credited with bringing Peter Schmeichel – Kasper’s dad – to Old Trafford.

Wilder says he can understand why many big clubs are choosing to watch Oxford United at the moment.

“That’s the profile associated with a football club when you go up into the Football League.

“But I’m not surprised people are watching us. We are trying to build something here, and we’ve got some very good players, not just the ones mentioned.

“We also play the right way, though I don’t think we were great on Saturday in our use of the ball.”