Striker Tom Craddock hasn’t giving up on overtaking James Constable to finish the season as Oxford United’s top scorer.

But he insists the rivalry is all friendly, and he’s just pleased to be close to Beano’s tally.

Constable has struck 17 this campaign following his brace at Barnet, while Craddock has hit 16, which includes 14 for United and two for Luton, where he began the season.

Craddock tellingly helped to lay on both of Constable’s goals at Underhill on Monday, and admits he gets almost as much pleasure from making goals as finding the net himself.

“If you don’t score, you want to get an assist under your belt instead,” he said.

“If you can’t score, but you can have a hand in the goal, then it’s the next best thing.”

The duo have been neck-and-neck in the scoring charts all season.

And Craddock says he doesn’t mind being in second place to Constable at the moment.

“He’s there to score goals, as am I – we’ve both got our fair share.

“He’s gone ahead with those two this week, but it’s just friendly competition, it’s nothing really intense there between us. As long as we’re both scoring, that’s what matters.

“It’s the same next season . . . if I’m only a couple of goals behind him at the end, then I’ll know I’ll have got quite a few.”

The U’s take on relegation-threatened Lincoln at the Kassam Stadium before their final League Two match at promotion-chasing Shrewsbury on May 7.

Craddock said: “We’ve got two left, and if I can score two hat-tricks then I’ll have got to 20 goals.

“But I’m just looking to finish the season strongly.”

  • OXFORD United have confirmed the matches on their pre-season tour to America.

The U’s will take on Seacoast United, of the USL Premier Development League, on Thursday, July 14 (6.30) at Exeter High School, New Hampshire.

Two days later, Saturday, July 16, United will face Mass United FC, of the National Premier Soccer League also at Exeter High School (3pm).

The final match will be against Seacoast United, of the National Premier Soccer League, on Monday, July 18 (6pm) at Portsmouth High School, New Hampshire.

The U’s will send a full-strength squad to America for the tour.