KEMAR Roofe is delighted hard work on the training ground is paying off for him to become more of a goal poacher.

The forward is in the frame to make a return to Oxford United’s squad at AFC Wimbledon after being rested for the midweek win at Exeter City.

Roofe’s eye for a spectacular goal may force the club to hold a separate category for the rest of the squad’s efforts at their end of season awards.

But the 23-year-old is also becoming a predator in the six-yard box thanks to plenty of practise.

His last two goals, against Morecambe and Accrington Stanley, have come from close range, although the latter strike is being claimed by Chris Maguire.

Roofe said: “It’s definitely my goal, I got a touch.

“I’m not the type of player who would beg a goal if I didn’t score it.

“If I didn’t touch it, I wouldn’t have celebrated.”

He added: “I’d say they are proper centre forward goals with front-post runs.

“It’s good because people don’t connect me to those types of goals.

“The coaches keep going on about getting the front post, so I’ve been trying to work on that.

“I always used to play out wide or in the No 10 role, so you’re hanging out on the edge of the box or the back post.

“I’m not used to making the front post run, it’s just about getting it into my head to keep doing it. It’s paying off.”

Michael Appleton intends to sit down with Roofe today to assess whether he is ready to return after sitting out in midweek.

The U’s boss said: “It will have done him the world of good having two or three days away from it and not travelling.

“It’ll be an open conversation and I’ll be guided in a way by him.”

If Roofe does return, he will be hoping for a controversy-free goal to ensure he is through the 20 barrier.

It is a mark no-one has hit for the U’s in a Football League season since Nigel Jemson in the 1996/97 season.

Roofe said: “That’s good, I didn’t know that at all.

“It’s still not enough, there’s more to come.”