Darren Patterson is looking for his Oxford United team to carry on their winning streak - and not stop at three!

And the U's boss says there's no reason why, if they continue to play as they have in their last three games, they shouldn't increase their string of victories.

The first challenge comes against Northwich Victoria this Saturday, and then, if they manage that, at another side battling to beat the drop, Weymouth, on April 5.

Patterson was ridiculed by some supporters after the home defeat by Burton for having two days earlier challenged his team to go through the rest of the campaign unbeaten.

It was a bold statement which came back to haunt him somewhat as the Brewers rattled off a 3-0 win at the Kassam Stadium.

But results and performances since have shown that Patterson wasn't far off.

In the last three games, the U's have convincingly outplayed their opponents.

After the 2-1 win over Stevenage at the Kassam Stadium, Patterson said: "I thought we played some good stuff and the supporters could see that.

"They have been great. They had a bit of a go at us against Burton, as they had every right to, but every other time they've got behind us and they can see we're playing decent football.

"Since we've got the new players in, I think the performance level has been consistent. It was just five minutes against Burton when we gave two soft goals away. But that happens.

"The only thing we hadn't been doing consistently was scoring goals. But we're doing that now and long may it continue. We want to maintain that from now until the end of the season.

"We want to see if we can make it a fourth game in a row on Saturday, and then a fifth, and see how far we can go.

"That's down to us, we need to do that for the fans."

Only twice before in the past decade have United reeled off four successive league victories - in August and February last season.

Five straight league wins hasn't been achieved since the club's last promotion season, in 1995-6.

However, Northwich, fighting for their lives to avoid the drop, have already beaten the U's this season, 1-0 in Cheshire, and they hammered Altrincham 4-0 last Saturday.

Midfielder Phil Trainer, who bagged the opening goal against Stevenage, said: "Northwich will be another tricky game. They'll come here and will get 11 men behind the ball.

"It's a case of breaking them down, getting that first goal and taking it from there and hopefully we'll get another three points and keep this run going.

"And hopefully, if I score again, one of my teammates will come and celebrate with me!"