RYAN Taylor’s newfound fitness is allowing the striker to work harder on his game than at any other time during his spell at Oxford United.

The striker picked up a groin injury within weeks of joining the club last summer.

Although it did not rupture until January – ruling him out for the second half of the season – Taylor spent the months before it managing the issue.

Following a careful rehabilitation programme the 28-year-old, whose last goal came in November, has returned without any problems, starting all four games so far.

And it has the added benefit of allowing Taylor to increase his workload, which he is confident will reap dividends.

He said: “I’ve been staying behind doing extras on the finishing as well, which I couldn’t really do last year with the injury.

“That will help me and I’m feeling good about my game, so the goals will definitely come.

“(Last season) I was constantly icing it and managing it.

“As you get older you know your body better and there were things I couldn’t do.

“One of them was repetitive striking, whereas this year I can because the groin is 100 per cent.

“That can only be a positive for me.”

The seven-month break from football is the longest in Taylor’s career.

It means while match fit, it is taking time to find top gear.

He said: “The last few games I’ve been getting my sharpness and I think I’m ready to go now.

“In training and games I’ve shown little glimpses of where I know I can be at.

“There’s definitely more to come.”