Jack Midson says he owed a debt of gratitude to Oxford United teammate Harry Worley for his remarkable hat-trick at Torquay this week.

The striker, coming in from the cold to make his first start for the U’s since September 28, borrowed a pair of boots from centre half Worley because he did not have long enough studs for his own pair for the unexpectedly wet pitch at Plainmoor.

And the borrowed boots proved magical as he found the net after 42, 64 and 90 minutes for his first hat-trick as a professional, with the dramatic stoppage-time winner earning United a famous 4-3 victory.

Recalling his goals, he said: “The first one was a bit of a poacher’s goal, but you’ve got to be there to score it. Harry headed it down . . . and I actually had his boots on as well.

“Yes, I had Harry’s boots on so I might have to give him some money for them.

“I didn’t have any studs with me. I didn’t realise the pitch was going to be that bad.

“The pitch was very wet, you got soaked as soon as you went on it. Harry lent me his boots and he’s let me keep them.

“He hasn’t named a price yet, so I’d better go to the bank!”

Midson was pictured with the matchball and Harry Worley’s boots after the game.

The former Histon striker had been out on loan at Southend, and scored twice in his last appearance for them, in a 2-0 win at Cheltenham, so he now has five goals from his last two appearances.

Manager Chris Wilder said Midson going out on loan helped United to be able to afford to bring in Steve Maclean, and the Plymouth striker has shown his quality.

But Midson took his chance with both hands when he was given the opportunity, with Maclean and James Constable dropping down to the bench at Torquay, and now there is strong competition for places in attack.

“We haven’t got massive finances, and sometimes we have to move a couple out to get a player in, as with Maclean, and that’s what we did,” said Wilder.

“Jack’s come back into the building, we’ve earned a couple of quid as well, and we’ll do what we have to do financially.”

Midson’s goalscoring record compares well with others.

He struck 25 goals in 68 starting appearances for Histon, two in his four games for Southend, and now has 11 to his name in 30 starts for Oxford United.

The 27-year-old is just pleased that everyone was able to banish the disappointing home performance ag-ainst Southend at the Kassam Stad-ium last Saturday with what was a thrilling victory in Devon.

“The gaffer said to us, that one’s gone, it’s time to put it right and I think everyone did themselves justice today,” he beamed afterwards.