Jamie Vardy inspired Oxford's Kemar Roofe as League Two forward downs Swansea in FA Cup

OXFORD FA Cup hero Kemar Roofe says Jamie Vardy’s rise through the divisions to Premier League top goalscorer has driven him on.

 

Kemar Roofe bagged twice against Swansea, while Jamie Vardy failed to net against them in December

 

Roofe, 23, scored twice as the League Two club stunned Premier League Swansea with a 3-2 victory at the Kassam Stadium – and now wants more English talent to be given a chance. 

The brace made it 13 goals in all competitions for the season for Roofe, who is interesting Newcastle and Hull, as he added to his growing reputation as another possible gem to be found in the lower leagues – like Leicester’s Vardy and Tottenham’s Dele Alli. 

Roofe joined Oxford on a permanent deal last summer from West Brom after a successful loan spell with the Us last term. 

He had previously worked with Appleton at The Hawthorns and admitted his failure to get a chance to prove himself in the Premier League came as a huge frustration. 

“Jamie Vardy started lower and he has the record of scoring in the Premier League,” said Roofe, who insisted he was “ignoring” the speculation and “staying humble”.

 

“It can be done given the time and given the chance. I’ve been given a chance and I believe I’m showing it now, even against the Premier League boys. 

“The only chance we are going to get to play against the Premier League boys is the FA Cup and the League Cup. So it’s a chance for us to show what we can do.

“I never got a chance at West Brom. I put in the performances in the Under-21s and trained hard but just didn’t get the chance. I got on the bench but never got even a few minutes. I believe I should have had a chance. I did as much as I could. It’s down to giving the young players the opportunity.”

But Oxford boss Michael Appleton insisted afterwards that Roofe is not for sale.

“We are very confident [we can keep him],” said Appleton, who moved a step closer to rebuilding his reputation after nightmare spells at Portsmouth, Blackburn and Blackpool

 

“At the end of the season it may be a different scenario depending on whether we get promoted or not but if you go in that dressing room no one wants to go anywhere anyway.” 

Swansea, meanwhile, saw a wretched day compounded when midfielder Jonjo Shelvey appeared to become embroiled in a heated exchange of words with a fan after the final whistle.

Shelvey, whose future at the club is in doubt with Newcastle and Crystal Palace keen, went to applaud the away crowd but took exception to abuse from one Swansea fan before seeming to gesticulate to meet the individual in the car park.

Interim boss Alan Curtis said: “I saw him go over to the fans and I thought everything was OK. The suggestion is some of the crowd were having a go at him but I genuinely did not see that.”