LIAM Sercombe has set a new aim of 15 goals for Oxford United this season after already surpassing his target for the whole campaign.

The 25-year-old’s intention when he signed in May was to become the goalscoring midfielder the U’s had been missing – but even he is surprised by the flying start to the season.

Sercombe’s equaliser in Tuesday’s 3-1 win against Braintree Town was his ninth United goal in 22 appearances, a remarkable feat for a player whose previous best for an entire campaign was seven.

It also surpassed his pre-season target of eight, prompting him to set a new higher mark.

He said: “There was a target for central midfield and we’ve already hit that, so we’ve had to set a new target.

“I want to keep getting goals – I don’t know how many I can get but at the moment I would like to get 15 by the end of the season.

“I feel like I can with the way it has started.”

The midweek win keeps United fighting on three fronts, with FA Cup and Johnstone’s Paint Trophy campaigns coming alongside their Sky Bet League Two schedule.

It means a packed fixture list, but Sercombe, who has missed only one game this season due to suspension, says the run of nine wins in the last dozen games means fatigue is not a factor.

“Winning is the best thing in the game,” he said.

“It takes the tiredness away and if you win a game on a Saturday you want to play another match as soon as possible.

“That’s the way it is at the minute and hopefully that continues.”

He added: “I want to play 90 minutes in every game I can.

“It’s down to the staff and what they think is right, but personally I’m happy to play Saturday and then Tuesday for the rest of the season.”

Next up for United is a League Two trip to Dagenham & Redbridge, who prop up the division.

It comes ten days after the U’s won 2-0 in a Johnstone’s Paint Trophy tie at Victoria Road and Sercombe is relishing another midfield battle with a familiar face.

He said: “I played with James Dunne at Exeter for three years – he was one of my best mates there.

“He’s not nice to play against because he likes to put a tackle in and so does (Joss) Labadie.

“I’m looking forward to playing against those two again.”