Roll up your sleeves

8:00am Thursday 28th August 2008

Jake Cole says it's time for Oxford United's players to show some character to get back to winning ways.

The on-loan QPR goalkeeper was United's man of the match for the second game running in Monday's bore-draw at home to Woking.

And that was as much of an indictment of those in front of him as of his own fine performance.

The 0-0 stalemate with the Cards was Oxford's first clean sheet of the season, yet they have managed to find the net in only one of their first five matches this season, and that has to change if they are to climb the Blue Square Premier from their sorry position of 18th.

Cole said: "In the dressing room we're all together, you have to be. We need to show character and we've got loads of them in the changing room.

"Hopefully, it will change for us soon and we'll start winning and picking up three points."

Former England keeper Tim Flowers, the assistant manager at Loftus Road, and QPR goalkeeping coach David Rouse were at the Kassam Stadium to watch Cole following on from the glowing report they received of his display at Wrexham last Thursday.

And the keeper was delighted that he had a good, if unexpectedly busy game, in which he several times punched clear well in addition to making some top-class stops.

"I made a few saves, a little double one in the first half and a few one-on-ones," he said. "I was happy with the performance, but just gutted we didn't get something more out of the game, and the three points with a goal up the other end.

"A few balls were coming into the box and with the open corners here you get a breeze coming through. The punching was for safety really.

"I made two saves from one-on-ones, so I was pleased. My goalkeeper coaches tell me to be patient, to stand up as long as you can, make yourself big and make them make the decisions. I'm happy Tim and Dave turned up because I was busier than usual.

"They rang me beforehand to say they were coming to the game, asking me to put passes on for them, and I'm glad I had a clean sheet to show them."

Flowers, who won a Premiership winners' medal with Blackburn in 1994-5, had himself been coached in the past by Alan Hodgkinson, now United's goalkeeping coach.

Having started the season as second-choice behind Ben Hinchliffe, Cole has now established himself as United's No 1 until Billy Turley returns to full fitness, which may be less than a month away.

"I needed first-team football," Cole admitted. "I've been sitting on the bench at QPR for a long time and it's like just training hard through the week and having nothing at all at the end of it.

"Playing 90 minutes is a positive for me and I need to do more of that to get experience."

Oxford United midfielder Joe Burnell is on his way back after picking up an ankle injury in the 6-3 win over Eastbourne Borough two weeks ago.

He is set to return to full training today ahead of Saturday's Blue Square Premier game at Ebbsfleet United.

Striker Jamie Guy has missed the last two days training with food poisoning, but is due to be back today.