THE league table makes happy reading for Oxford United – but manager Chris Wilder believes his side can get even better.

Back-to-back wins against Bristol Rovers and Southend United represents an excellent start, but no-one at United has shown anything more than quiet satisfaction this week.

The focus immediately switched to making it nine points out of nine when Plymouth Argyle visit tomorrow.

One factor which has gone largely unnoticed so far is the youthfulness of the side.

With the likes of Michael Duberry, Peter Leven and Andy Whing out injured, United have looked to younger players to fill the void.

The average age of the outfield players who started against Southend was under 24 and Wilder believes they can only get better.

The United boss said: “It’s gelled pretty quickly because that’s led to the performances and the results.

“The understanding is there and I think that’s because they’re intelligent footballers.

“But there’s no doubt, I look at the midfield three and they’re 22, 21 and 18 so I’d like to think they’re going to get better.

“It’s the same with the front three – (Deane) Smalley, Alfie (Potter) and (Sean) Rigg are all 24 or under.

“We’re always looking for players to get better individually and improve collectively as the season goes on.

“Hopefully there’s a bit more to come, but they’ve set a really high standard and it’s up to them to keep this going.”

The mantra at the training ground since the Southend game has been to stay consistent and build on the fast start.

Wilder is pleased with the appetite among the squad to improve and is keen to see the process continue. He said: “There’s no doubt that we will drive it on.

“We’re not the type of staff that all of a sudden thinks ‘we’ve cracked it’.

“This is where we work hard to keep the standards high and make sure the players keep the hammer down through the week and into match days.”

Young players can be particularly affected by the atmosphere and the U’s boss praised the role played by fans so far.

He said: “There’s a positive vibe about the place, the supporters are giving the young players the opportunity to go and produce their best performances, which is really important.

“The environment when you step out is important and the last two games have given them a great buzz.”