JACK Payne believes Oxford United served notice of a bright future this season with the way they despatched Gillingham.

The on-loan midfielder scored the first of three goals in eight minutes as Joe Rothwell and Rob Hall also struck to give Pep Clotet’s side a 3-0 win at the Kassam Stadium.

The scoreline hardly did justice to their dominant display of attacking football, but the victory lifted the U’s up to sixth place as the Sky Bet League One table begins to take shape.

And Payne – one of 14 new signings – reckons United have a lot to look forward to given the scale of turnover in the squad during the summer.

He said: “We’re getting good results and I think the longer we’re together the better we’ll get because we work hard in training.

“Any time something goes wrong we look to correct it.

“I think the future is bright this season.

“We’ve got some great players and the manager works hard with us. It’s exciting.”

United played some thrilling football against the winless Gills, who somehow stayed on level terms until the 48th minute.

But Payne was not worried by the deadlock in the first half.

He said: “We were creating chances and I knew the goals were going to come.

“It seemed like the fans were very patient as well, which was helpful because if they get frustrated, sometimes that can relay on to the pitch.

“We couldn’t let the game become slow, which is what Gillingham wanted.

“We had to move the ball quickly and it was always going to come.

“It is fun and you can feel it during the game when things are going right for you.

“We know once we get one goal we’ll get another, and then ano-ther.”

It was felt when the 22-year-old signed he would become a big hit at United, but few could have predicted just how quickly he would make an impact.

While he now has two goals for the side, the assist for Rothwell’s goal was his eighth in as many games.

“That’s five in the league and three in the cup, so it’s been good so far,” he said.

“But if the players aren’t finishing them I don’t get anything for it, so credit to them as well.

“Joe took the goal really well – he’s a class player and someone I enjoy playing with.

“He moves it quickly for us and I was pleased he scored because he deserved it.”