JEROME Sinclair hoped his match-winning brace of headers for Oxford United proved he had the ability to have a successful career.

The on-loan Watford striker’s second-half double earned a 2-1 win against Scunthorpe United which claimed the first back-to-back league wins of the season.

It kept Karl Robinson’s side out of the Sky Bet League One relegation zone and saw them join a pack of eight teams separated by just two points.

Sinclair was the undoubted star man, getting into the six-yard box to convert crosses from Mark Sykes and John Mousinho.

Also read: Boss Karl Robinson encouraged by tight league table

It was an excellent afternoon’s work from the 22-year-old, who had managed just one league goal in 35 appearances for six different clubs.

He said: “Of course it will give me a world of confidence going into the next few games, knowing I’ll back myself to get on the end of crosses into the box.

“There have been question marks over me and whether I was able to score those type of goals.

“Those two balls in were on a plate for me. That’s the stuff you dream about as a striker.

“I was just happy I could get on the end of them and put them in the back of the net.”

Getting goals from United’s strikers has been an issue all season, but Sinclair’s haul left Robinson wishing the January signing had been around all season.

It may be a long shot, but the U’s boss admitted there was a desire to keep the former Liverpool trainee beyond his initial loan deal, which expires in May.

“I’d love to make it a permanent,” Robinson said.

Also read: Mark Sykes encouraged by second-half display

“There are obvious areas we need to improve, but I think if you look offensively at the players we’ve got now and when they’re all fit it’s a real challenging one for us picking a team.

“You wouldn’t be far off if you started the season with those offensive players we have.”

Sinclair had been an important player in the win at Blackpool a week earlier, where he was asked to sacrifice himself for the team in an isolated role up front.

At home, the onus was on him to deliver at the sharp end – and he was able to manage the workload to ensure there was enough in the tank to do the damage in the final 25 minutes.

Also read: Photo gallery of Oxford United v Scunthorpe United

He said: “Last week it was just running and at times I felt I wasn’t clever enough, I didn’t have that bit of guile to conserve energy.

“But here I tried to do that a little bit more, so I had more legs in the last third of the game.”

He added: “In the situation we’re in it definitely doesn’t matter who puts the ball in the back of the net, but obviously I’m buzzing I was able to do that and help the lads get three points.”