Richard Keogh has been winning over more and more fans each week with his heart on the sleeve displays, his bone crunching tackles and his overall impressive performances that have all helped United progress to 11th position in the League One table.

He created the first goal at Exeter on Tuesday night after whipping in a cross for Joe Anyinsah to slot home, and he said: "I was pleased with my performance. I set up the first goal and that's always nice when you play full-back. That's one of the things that I'm wanting to do, to get more crosses in, and luckily for me Joe Anyinsah got across his man and put it in."

The 3-2 victory at Exeter was the perfect reaction to the goalless draw against Stockport on Saturday.

"It was a long way to go, a tough place and they have surprised a few people with the way that they play football, but we knew what kind of game to expect," he told us. "We made hard work of it with the way we went about the second half, but in the end I think that we done enough to win the game.

"We are quite a fit team, so we always fight and we always look strong at the end of the game. The belief was there to give it one more shot, and we did that and we got the goal and the three points."

The all-action defender has notched four goals from what has been an excellent first half of the season, and he said: "The fans have been fantastic for me and sometimes they help me to make a couple of tackles when I've got no energy left. They help me to kick on and throw myself at it. But like I have said before, they have been fantastic and I am pleased that they are like that, and I can hopefully repay them with some more good performances."

The former Under 21 Republic of Ireland international has been seen by many as a revelation since replacing David Raven as he continues to make the position his own.

"I probably prefer playing at centre half, but right back is another string to my bow. I enjoy playing there, so I don't mind it at all."

Among the serious stuff, he also managed to provide a comedy moment during the recent 0-0 draw with Stockport when one of his marauding runs ended up with him heading back towards his own half. He explained: "It opened up in front of me and I got got past a couple of players and into the box. I probably should have shot as the defender came across, but I was running so fast that I thought that he was going to get the ball. I knocked it past him and that took me out towards the corner flag, so I decided to turn round and come back. The important thing was that I kept it, and I did, so I was happy!"

Team wise, a run of just four defeats in 18 games has lifted spirits, and Keogh said: "The more games that you win the more confidence that it builds, and everything has been going pretty well. Over the last four months the gaffer has drilled it into us what he wants and he doesn't let us take our foot off the pedal at all, That's exactly what we need.

"On a personal level I want to keep playing well and stay in the team, and hopefully help to get us into a great position. I just want to stay fit and give as much as I can to the team and hopefully improve as a player. I'm only 23 and I feel like I've got a lot more to give, and the gaffer has been great to me and helped me a lot. He keeps on reminding me of my honest mistakes, but he has been great and hopefully he can keep on improving me."

"For us, there is always a team that makes a late surge for the play offs, but we just need to take it one game at a time. That can only bring confidence and the more points we can pick up then you never know what can happen. We are looking forward to it and hopefully we can keep things going by getting all three points on Saturday."

Article and interview by guest reporter Andrew Maddison.