MIDE Shodipo is aiming to maintain his prolific strike rate in front of Oxford United supporters.

The QPR loanee played in two of the three games attended by fans at the Kassam Stadium last December, scoring in both.

Shodipo’s goals against Forest Green Rovers in the Papa John’s Trophy and Northampton Town in Sky Bet League One were his third and fourth in a U’s shirt, kick-starting a run where he found the net five times in six matches.

Those games were limited to 2,000 supporters, but Tuesday’s play-off semi-final first leg with Blackpool will have double that number.

It will be a bigger crowd for a high-stakes clash and Shodipo expects the atmosphere to lift United.

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The 23-year-old said: “I scored one of my first goals with the fans there, so that was special.

“That feeling you get when the fans are there and you score is incredible.

“Hopefully I can do that again.”

He said: “It’ll be good to see what the fans are like with more people here.

“Hopefully they’ll be our 12th man.

“It’s going to be strange, but it’ll be a very good thing.

“We’ve kind of got used to playing without fans, so hopefully it’ll give us a massive boost, especially because two games in three days will be a battle to get through.”

Shodipo has had the busiest season of his career, his 44 United appearances matching the number he has managed at QPR and two loan spells combined.

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The forward scored his first senior goal within two minutes of making his debut against MK Dons in October and has since added 11 more.

The latest came against Burton Albion last Sunday, setting United on their way to a 4-0 win that sealed their play-off place.

It was Shodipo’s first headed goal and saw him donate £100 to Oxford-based charity SSNAP, which supports sick and premature babies, following a bet with U’s coach Leon Blackmore Such.

He said: “I’ve been working with Leon on my heading after training.

“He told me I’ll score at least one header this season and when I do I’ve got to give £100 to charity.

“Luckily it happened, a promise is a promise and I kept it.”

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If results had not gone United’s way last weekend, the Burton triumph would have signalled the end of Shodipo’s season-long loan.

The former Republic of Ireland Under 21 international has loved his time with the U’s and is thrilled it will continue for at least two more games.

Shodipo is unsure about what will happen next season, but hopes that if he does leave United for good at the end of the month it can be with the club in the Sky Bet Championship.

He said: “I’m really glad I came here, it has helped me a lot.

“I want to repay the manager, the club and the fans and push on and get promoted.”