Ryan Clarke, who this week signed a new three-and-a-half year contract at Oxford United, agrees with the oft-held view that goalkeepers get better with age.

The 28-year-old appears a more complete player than when he first arrived at Oxford from Northwich Victoria some 20 months ago.

Working with keepers’ coach Alan Hodgkinson has clearly improved him.

Yet Clarke insists he cannot rest on his laurels.

“The moment you do that, football has a habit of biting you on the backside, as they say,” he said.

“The thing is to work hard and take it one game at a time, just as I did when I first got here and first got into the team.

“I’m one of those that agrees with that saying about goalkeepers and age.

“But I have to keep the hammer down and not take anything for granted. Easty (Simon Eastwood) is a very good goalkeeper here.”

Clarke has admitted that he does not mind it if United don’t keep a clean sheet, so long as they keep winning.

But you suspect he would be quite happy if the back five did register a blank soon. It is now four months since they last shut-out.

“As I’ve said before, I don’t mind, so long as we keep winning.

“It will probably be like it is with strikers . . . once we get one clean sheet, we’ll probably then get three or four.

“The main thing is that the team are winning. To get a clean sheet on top of that would be a bonus.”

Meanwhile, manager Chris Wilder says he is looking for more stability in the side in the second half of the season.

So fans are likely to see more of a settled team than in the first five months of the campaign.

The U’s have used 27 players already this season, and Wilder raised eyebrows by making no fewer than eight changes after the last home game against Southend.

That move came off, however, with a 4-3 victory at Torquay two days later, and United have followed that up with another away win, at Aldershot.

Wilder’s suggestion that there are likely to be fewer changes in the future signify he knows what his best team is, and plans to stick to it when he can.

He said: “We haven’t got a massive squad, it’s a nice lean squad, with good competition for places. I’m looking forward now to settling the team down in the second half of the season.”

Oxford United lie in 11th place in npower League Two, just two points off the play-off positions.

Wilder added: “We’ve had a look at the league, had a look at a few of our players, I know in and around what my best side is.

“I’d like to see the back four nice and settled and play a string of games together.

“Paul McLaren’s come in and Josh Payne will push him very hard.

“I think I’ve got some really good midfield players in Asa (Hall), (Simon) Heslop and Clisty (Simon Clist), and I think I’ve got strong and healthy competition at the top of the pitch.

“So if we can keep people fit, and injury-free, we’re really looking forward to the second half of the season.

“We’ve looked at the league, we’ve made decisions on players, and I’d like to see the team develop now. I think they can do so.”