Oxford United’s new loan signing Ashley Cain has already destroyed their defence once this season.

It came when he played for Coventry City Reserves against United’s Reserves earlier this season, inspiring the Sky Blues to a 4-0 win.

The 19-year-old, who has joined on an emergency loan, revealed: “At Coventry we played Oxford in a reserve game a couple of months back and I scored a hat-trick.

“I started on the right and then I played through the middle, and that’s when I got my last two goals.”

He clearly caught the eye that day, and the U’s management team stepped in when the scan on Alfie Potter’s hamstring showed a tear and that he is likely to be sidelined for more than a month.

“I’m looking forward to getting some time on the pitch and hopefully I can enhance the squad and push for promotion,” he said.

“It’s been hard to get games this season. At the end of last season I played quite a few and this season I started all pre-season friendlies.

“But as the Coventry team started to grow and grow, it was hard to get a game, so I’m glad to come here on loan and try to get some match time.”

Cain made his debut as a substitute last April in the 0-0 draw with Charlton in the Championship.

His first start came in August in a League Cup defeat to Hartlepool, and he spent a month on loan at fellow Blue Square Premier side Luton in November, making just one sub appearance.

“It’s a big opportunity for me,” he said. “It’s a chance for me to prove myself and show what I can do.”

Said manager Chris Wilder: “Ashley comes highly recommended by Chris Coleman at Coventry. We played a game against them and he impressed greatly.

“He can play out wide or through the middle and has bags of pace and gives us an extra option. I know he sees this as an opportunity to impress and I think he will do very well for us.”

Cain’s arrival is again thanks to the 12th Man Fund and U’s chairman Kelvin Thomas saluted the fans.

“At this stage of the season we have to make sure that we have enough quality players at the club to get us through a probable 20 games in nine weeks,” said Thomas.

“Having the 12th Man fund has given us the ability to do that, so well done to the fans once again.”