Mark Harris speaks on his Oxford future after Leicester goal

Mark Harris speaks on his Oxford future after Leicester goal

Oxford United striker Mark Harris has dubbed his side’s season as ‘far from dead’ after bagging a classy winner against Leicester City.

The U’s ran out 2-1 winners at the King Power Stadium against a Foxes side who were in the Premier League only last season.

The strike was the Welshman’s second of the season, his first coming in another impressive Oxford victory over Ipswich Town in November.

Sam Long opened the scoring against Leicester before Harris doubled the lead, Abdul Fatawu’s goal back proving not enough for the hosts.

“Far from dead,” the 27-year-old replied when asked about the state of the U’s season, talking to BBC Radio Oxford.

“Unbeaten in three games under the new gaffer. Two clean sheets in the first two.

“Obviously, we didn’t get a goal in the first two but five points from the first three games.

“If we keep that up until the end of the season, I’m pretty sure we’ll give ourselves a good chance [of staying up].”

The win in the East Midlands was the first start for Harris since the 1-0 defeat to Charlton Athletic before Christmas which saw former boss Gary Rowett lose his job.

With next summer’s World Cup round the corner and Wales awaiting a play-off semi-final against Bosnia and Herzegovina, the U’s forward is keen to get more minutes to cement his place in future national team squads.

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Whether that is at Oxford or not has been something to consider this January transfer window.

“Obviously, just with the new gaffer coming in, you’ve just got to wait and bide your time,” Harris continued.

“Hopefully, I’ve taken my chance today and I can play a lot more.

“I haven’t been, obviously, happy with how much I’ve played recently.

“It’s a big year for me and if that was to play elsewhere [and] the club thought that, then I would’ve done that, but I wanted to stay and fight for my place and hopefully I’ve done that today.

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“But it’s only one game; I can’t just show it in one game and then think I’m going to play. I’ve got to do it in every game.

“It was all up in the air with the new gaffer coming in, I didn’t really know what was happening, just had to wait and bide my time.”

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After two goalless draws under Matt Bloomfield, the win at Leicester was a huge statement.

“I think we deserved six points in the first two [games].

“But to come here away, Leicester, big team, really good players, to put a performance in like that is top drawer from every single one of us.”