JOSH Murphy wants to see Oxford United ‘break the mould’ and stop being a ‘nearly’ team when it comes to promotion from Sky Bet League One.

Under the guidance of Karl Robinson, the U’s reached a play-off final, a play-off semi-final and secured an eighth-place finish in three consecutive seasons.

After going close, United once again find themselves in a strong position to finish in the top six.

Currently seventh in League One, the U’s are two points shy of Stevenage in sixth.

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Murphy said: “We’ve got 11 big games, and a goal at the end of the season to be in the play-offs. Everyone’s got to pull together, and we’ve got to find a way to get there.

“We’ve got to find a way to win games, and see games out. These next 11 games are going to be massive if we want to achieve what we want to achieve this year.

“If you look around our dressing room, you see the potential we’ve got there, and at the same time, we can’t just be a team with a lot of potential.

“We now have to be that team that steps up and delivers. That’s the challenge for us as a group, to break that mould of being that nearly Oxford team.

“We all want to go up, and we all want to be in the play-offs, and give the fans something to cheer about.

“The next 11 games are about giving our all and achieving what we can achieve.”

The former Cardiff City winger added: “Sometimes with the way that we play, we dominate the game and play some really good football, but it’s just silly lapses of concentration and errors where we give teams easy goals.

“That’s been the problem over the last couple of weeks. We’ve played some great football, but don’t really have the points to show for it.

“Going into these next 11 games, it might not always be pretty, but if we can get points, then that puts us in the right direction.”

Since returning from a calf problem as a half-time substitute at Blackpool last month, Murphy has scored twice in five appearances.

The goals were his first league strikes for United, and the expression of joy and relief was clear when he netted both.

He said: “I’d like to think I’ve got quite a bit of power in my shooting, and I probably should shoot a bit more, and be a bit more greedy.

“Getting goals though is always good, and it’s helping the team. It’s the reward for the hard work, and I just try to keep my head down and go about my business, and work in silence. I think the rewards are coming out.”

Murphy’s teammates were also quick to celebrate with him when he scored against Wigan Athletic and Northampton Town.

He said: “I think everyone in the dressing room would say how close we are together. It’s like a band of brothers.

“That’s one of our real qualities, and it’s nice that they got around me.”