AFTER three years of slow starts, it feels good to see Oxford United in the Sky Bet League One play-off places at the end of October.

The U’s have won their last three matches and it was about this time in the previous two seasons when they began stringing together long unbeaten runs.

A similar streak would be great, of course, but we cannot get fixated on that.

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Since the 1-0 defeat at Cheltenham Town on September 18, United’s performances have been impressively consistent.

Eight matches have produced five wins, a draw and two defeats and the only seriously poor display was against Stevenage in the Papa John’s Trophy.

Yes, the points they gain now could make the difference in May, but at this time of year performances are almost as important as results.

United’s problem so far this season has been adding a clinical edge to their pretty football – at Burton Albion, they certainly managed it.

United are bound to lose games in this intensely competitive division, but if they are playing well the results will follow more often than not.