Chris Wilder is hoping Saturday’s outstanding 2-1 win at promotion-chasing Port Vale can be a springboard for Oxford United to reignite their burning play-off ambitions.

The U’s boss bravely made seven changes and was rewarded by seeing them earn a deserved and precious three points, thanks to goals from Jack Midson and Harry Worley’s first of the season.

Wilder said afterwards: “We said before the game that, whatever happens, I don’t want our season to end today.

“If we’d not got a positive result, it would have been a hell of a task, and a hell of a run we need to go on.

“Now we need to use this as a springboard.

“We’ve got three fantastic home games coming up, starting on Tuesday with Stevenage who, from the supporters’ point of view, we really love to hate.

“So let’s make that as noisy as possible and get right behind us . . . and let’s see if we can go and win three games on the bounce.”

Oxford looked much the fresher team at Vale Park, and there were some very impressive performances from players who came in from the cold.

“I had to make decisions and I had to be fair to the players that had played,” Wilder explained.

“We’ve not had outrageous, pathetic performances, but sometimes you have to whizz it around and give players an opportunity.

“The win was fully deserved, we played all the football.”

United’s camp were fired up after members of the Port Vale bench aggressively banged their plastic dug-out before kick-off.

“It gives me extra motivation when their bench start smashing our dug-out before a ball’s kicked,” Wilder said.

“They did it last week. I spoke to the Macclesfield manager – they smashed the top of the dug-out and were shouting and bawling at us.

“I’ve been in the game long enough to know that things come around, and that’s why we enjoyed our celebrations so much.”

The U’s boss now has a dilemma: does he stick largely by this team, or bring back some of his “big guns” to face Stevenage?

Whoever he plumps for, everyone at Oxford United is in it together, as was demonstrated by the way those left out were congratulating the players who had come in.

“In the changing room now I haven’t got Constable, Craddock, Batt, Heslop and Hall just looking on in the corner – they’re right amongst it and happy for all the players at the football club who got us this result.

“I am critical of my side sometimes because we’ve set really high standards, but we’ve come a hell of a long way really.

“We’ve come to a team that’s tipped to go up in the top three and have got experienced Football League players.

“There’s only Paul McLaren and Steve MacLean in my team who have played consistently in the League.

“The majority of the Port Vale players have played 150-250 League games so they know what it’s about.

“I’m an honest manager and when we’re not good, I’ve said it. But we’ve deserved to win this game.

“Now let’s see if we can turn Stevenage over.”