Leading scorer James Constable revealed how he was desperate to make his mark after helping to turn defeat into victory for Oxford United on Saturday.

The bustling striker proved the difference when he came off the bench in the second half and promptly forced an own goal equaliser, before drilling home a winner seven minutes from time in United’s 2-1 win over Barnet.

It brought battling Oxford their second successive victory after being a goal down at half-time.

And the three points at the Kassam Stadium, in one of only two League Two games to beat the bad weather, lifted the U’s to 12th in the table – the top half.

Constable took his season’s tally to nine goals, and was unlucky that the equaliser wasn’t credited to him as well, to take him into double figures. In the old days, it would have been.

“I’d like to say it was mine, but I think one of their lads put it in,” he said afterwards, admitting that he could have no complaints about starting as a substitute, following the U’s shock 2-1 win at table-toppers Chesterfield in their previous match.

“The lads did great last Tuesday night and deserved to stay in the team.

“I’ve just got to sit tight and take the chances when they come.

“I was desperate to come on and desperate to do well.”

Barnet’s former Us keeper Jake Cole twice spilled shots, but also made some key saves as Oxford dominated the second half.

“He made a couple of good saves and did well to keep it down to 2-1,” Constable said.