Potter's strike gives Oxford United man a real shot in arm (From Herald Series)

Potter's strike gives Oxford United man a real shot in arm

9:50am Friday 1st March 2013 in Football By David Pritchard, Chief Sports Reporter covering Oxford United. Follow us on twitter: @oxfordmailoufc. Call me on 01865 425458

ALFIE Potter thinks scoring Tuesday’s winner for Oxford United at Gillingham will restore his confidence in front of goal.

The 24-year-old hit the only goal of the game at Priestfield, running on to a through ball and slipping a shot into the far corner.

It was an important strike for the team, clinching a victory at the league leaders, but it was also a big moment for Potter.

The winger was United’s top scorer earlier in the season, but the goals had dried up in the last few months.

He was criticised last month for wasting two one-on-one chances at Southend in a game which United went on to lose 1-0.

Potter was delighted to make the most of his opportunity on Tuesday and hopes it puts the barren run behind him.

“I missed two great chances against Southend – I didn’t feel like I had a bad game, but because I missed those chances it looks like I did,” he said.

“To be fair, with the chances at Southend I had all the time in the world and maybe I’m not the best in those sort of situations. “(At Gillingham) it was more instinct, I just took a touch and hit it. “I was happy for it to go in and I need to start taking more chances.

“Maybe I’ve not been playing as well as I was at the start of the season. “I don’t know, maybe it is a confidence thing, but tonight will give me a lot of belief going into the rest of the season.”

The goal was his seventh of the season, with only Tom Craddock and James Constable netting more often for United so far.

It is also makes it the most productive campaign of Potter’s career – and he wants to kick on.

He said: “My aim is double figures, it always has been and I’m not far off that now.”

No-one was happier for Potter than U’s boss Chris Wilder, who has demanded more from his forwards.

He said: “He’s come in for a little bit of criticism because he’s possibly not finished off chances, so I think everybody is absolutely delighted for Alfie.

“We’re hard on these players, when he went through against Southend he should score.

“I’m not saying he should score from every opportunity, but these boys create chances and they should be scoring more from the amount of control we have in games.”