Oxford
are hoping for a speedy recovery from Monday's disappointing
defeat to Port Vale, with Accrington the visitors at the Kassam.
The temptation for some is to view home games against the
smaller sides in the league as gimmes, but anyone who has watched our
previous games with Accy will know that won't be the case. They're a
good side and will come here looking for a win.
Back
in March we asked the question 'Is
Fitness a Problem for Oxford United?', and after a horrendous
late-season collapse it was clear to all that it was indeed a problem
– a major one. Measures were introduced in
the summer to correct the situation but two months into the
season we find ourselves 19th in the table and with the busiest
treatment table in the country. Essentially, this raises two
questions which need answers: 1) why, after the introduction of the
much-vaunted fitness programme, are we still plagued by injuries? 2) Are injuries the sole reason for our poor season?
Hopes
of an Oxford resurgence were cruelly dashed last night as the
league's best attack unsurprisingly overcame one the of the league's
worst defences by three goals to nil with the nation watching on
through their TVs.
Oxford
travel to Port Vale for an unusual Monday night match against the
league's second-placed side, just over a week after facing leaders
Gillingham in our last
league match. An impressive victory away at Cheltenham in the JPT
has renewed a sense of optimism about this side, but Vale have only
lost twice so far this season and will present a stern test.
Sky's
decision to move our trip to Port Vale to Monday for TV has left us
with a blank weekend. But never fear, there is still plenty of
football in Oxfordshire this weekend for yellows fans to get their
fix. This Saturday is the annual Non-League
Day event, timed to coincide with the international break for the
Premier League and Championship, and clubs the length and breadth of
the country are preparing to celebrate the Non-League game. So, with
that in mind, why not head down to your local Non-League club and get
involved this weekend?
Banbury
United have struggled so far this season, finding themselves second
from bottom of the Southern League Premier after they were humiliated
8-1 by league leaders Stourbridge three weeks ago. They returned to
the league against Frome Town after FA Trophy duty and looked all the
better for their break from the grind of league football.
Yate
Town seem to have become something of a jinx for Oxfordshire football
clubs. After shocking
Oxford City in the last round of the FA Cup, they then dispensed
with North Leigh by the same scoreline.
By Olly Howells,
Oxford's
six-game losing streak finally came to an end on Tuesday against
Wimbledon,
but now league leaders Gillingham are in town to try and undo the
good work from midweek. The match comes at exactly the wrong time for
us to rebuild our fragile confidence, but if we can somehow get a
result it could do wonders for our season.
Finally,
after more than a month and six league games, Oxford have managed to
record their fourth win of the season. It came against a Wimbledon
side who have struggled all season, but who could have taken the
points in what was a lively, if scrappy, affair at the Kassam
Stadium. And despite the euphoria that accompanies the win, there
were still many aspects of the performance that leave cause for
concern.
So,
we've finished September with the same number of points as we started
with - a frankly appalling record for a busy month with six league
matches crammed into it. On the back of such a terrible
record-equalling run of six defeats, perhaps AFC Wimbledon – as one
of the few sides to have accumulated fewer points than us so far –
are the ideal opponents to begin October with. Of course, due to our
form, Wimbledon will be viewing the fixture as a good one to
kick-start their own season.