OXFORD United's impressive new striker, Chris Zebroski, says he is determined to get match fit as quickly as possible so he can play his part in helping the team reach - and get through - the play-offs.

The 20-year-old gave an excellent first performance for the club at Halifax on Wednesday night after signing on a month's loan from Millwall.

He understandably faded later in the game, but showed enough in the first hour to suggest he could be a big asset to United.

"I've not played much so it was nice to get 90 minutes under my belt," Zebroski said.

"I tried to contribute as well as I could. It's going to take me a couple of games to really get match fit, but the games come thick and fast so I'll try and get my fitness up and help Oxford up and into the play-offs.

"I thought we dominated almost all the game, especially in the first half.

"We had quite a lot of possession and probably didn't create as much chances as we'd have liked.

"When we got the goal early in the second half - that was the plan - we thought it was a question of how many at one stage.

"Then, to be fair, I think we eased off a bit and Halifax got the confidence, got their fans behind them and got a goal. And it was a bit scrappy after that."

Zebroski had trained with the U's last summer, but when he joined late on Monday he hardly knew any of his teammates' names.

"I knew a couple of players," he said. "I didn't quite know how we played, but it was just a question of learning quickly really."

Manager Jim Smith was pleased with what he saw from the former Plymouth player at Halifax, and admitted United almost got him seven months ago.

"He tired a bit because he won't have played many games," Smith said.

"I would think he's played mainly Combination games and as a substitute for the first team coming on.

"But you can see he's a quality player, with his touch and his control.

"To turn up, without playing or training with the lads too much . . . I thought he made a very good debut.

"We were very close to getting him in the summer - we thought we'd got him. There was a bit of a delay at the Plymouth end, and in that delay, Millwall came in and nicked him from us."

Zebroski said: "Whether it's automatic promotion - obviously that's going to be very hard - or the play-offs, I want to be part of it and push on.

"It's disappointing we didn't pick up the three points at Halifax, because it allows all the other teams to catch up a bit.

"But we can start again on Monday against Dagenham and hopefully get a little run (of wins) going."