PETER Kioso is enjoying his start to life at Oxford United after establishing himself as the club’s first choice right back.
The 25-year-old joined from Rotherham United in the summer and has started the last five games in all competitions.
Sam Long started the first two Sky Bet Championship matches at right back, but when U’s skipper Elliott Moore missed the trip to Blackburn Rovers with a knee problem, Long moved inside to centre half.
That allowed Kioso to take the right back slot, a position he has now maintained for United’s last five matches.
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In addition to Long, Kioso is set to be joined by fellow summer recruit Hidde ter Avest in the battle at right back now that the Dutchman is up to speed and raring to go.
Kioso said: “I’m enjoying it. I didn’t start at the beginning of the season, and Longy was amazing, and he’s still amazing.
“Me and him have a great relationship, and obviously Hidde is in the changing room as well.
“He’s a great player, and I feel like we all just push each other on. For me, I just need to show the gaffer whenever I’m playing, and I want to give 100 per cent for the team, and I want to play week in and week out.
“I know we have great competition, and if for some reason I don’t end up in the team, I’m still going to work just as hard as possible and push the other right backs on, and they’re going to push me on.”
The U’s were beaten 2-1 at Bristol City last time out, a third defeat from three on the road in the Championship.
However, United have won all three of their home games in the league, and welcome Burnley this weekend.
On the defeat at Ashton Gate, Kioso said: “It was another frustrating game where we leave thinking we should’ve won.
“I don’t think there was much in the game, I feel like we were a lot better in the first half, and I wouldn’t say they were better than us in the second half, there was still chances on both sides.
“They put their chances away and we didn’t. At the end of the day, we need to hold our heads high because it wasn’t like we were run over or that they were the better team.
“We know how good we are as a team, and we’ll get ready for the next game.”
He added: “We just need the ability to play bad and win games. It wasn’t that we played bad, it was just a scruffy game in my opinion.
“We still need to walk away from those games with three points. We can be disappointed, but we don’t need to beat ourselves up about it.
“Every away game this season, we’ve been in the game, and we should’ve got a draw or even won the game.”
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