PREVIEW: Gateshead Home, FA Cup (09/11/13)

Oxford take another (probably brief) departure from league action this weekend, as we start our FA Cup campaign this weekend, at home to Conference side Gateshead. A home tie against lower league opposition is usually regarded as something of a dream tie in the first round, offering a good chance of progression towards the potentially lucrative third round when the big boys come to play. But given our well-documented home struggles this season, one can't help but feel that this one has 'upset' written all over it.

Last weekend's goalless draw with Luton made it six games unbeaten for the Heed, a run which includes their 1-0 win over Chester in the fourth qualifying round. That run has also included six clean sheets, so with Oxford only managing seven goals in eight home games so far, this could be a frustrating afternoon for home supporters. The visitors, currently 11^th in the Conference, are perhaps understandably in confident mood coming into the match, but they will be without former York striker Richard Brodie, Marcus Maddison and former yellow Luke O'Brien.

We, of course, will be without Alfie Potter, who is absent for eight weeks with ankle ligament damage following an appalling challenge that went more or less unpunished in last week's game against Bristol Rovers. Fortunately, Fulham have allowed Ryan Williams to play this week so we do at least have cover in this area for him. Elsewhere, Tom Newey is back at left-back after serving his suspension last week, which means that once again Chris Wilder is left with a dilemma at centre-back with Jake Wright, Johnny Mullins and Michael Raynes all competing for a starting berth.

Of course, all of the above is assuming that we choose to name a full-strength side this weekend. With tickets reduced to just £10 for the game in order to tempt fans who might otherwise have decided to give the game a miss, it could be a sign that Oxford are not particularly interested in the FA Cup this year. The cups have slipped down the list of priorities this season, it seems, crashing out at the first attempt in both the League Cup and the JPT. A weakened side crashed out 4-0 away to Charlton in the first round of the former, while in the latter a youthful side were beaten 2-1 by Portsmouth despite dominating most of the match.

This will be only the third time the two clubs have met in competitive action, the last time coming in our final season in the Conference. In the first of our two previous encounters, a Matt Green goal gave us a 1-0 victory at the Gateshead International Stadium. In the second...

From the Vaults

Oxford United v Gateshead, 27^th March 2010

United were on a miserable run of five games without a win and the promotion chase appeared to be faltering as Stevenage began to pull away at the top of the table. And with a crucial trip to Hertfordshire awaiting days later it was essential that we got back to winning ways at home to Gateshead. And after a nervy first half James Constable finally struck to send us on our way in the second, with substitute Matt Green scoring the winner in injury time after Gateshead had been allowed a controversial equaliser.

You can find this and many other old OUFC matches in the VIDEO VAULT!

Also This Weekend

The youth team are back in action this week after their match last week against Hereford was surprisingly cancelled by the visitors at late notice. This time it's Bristol Rovers' turn to come to Roman Way, just a week after their grown-up counterparts came away from the Kassam Stadium with their first away win of the season.

The women's development squad are also back after a lengthy lay-off, still seeking their first win of the season. They host Birmingham City on Sunday in the League Cup, having been narrowly beaten 2-1 in their previous cup game by Yeovil Town.

Don't forget you can find full fixture lists for women's, development and youth teams on our Fixtures page!

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PREVIEW: Bristol Rovers Home (02/11/13)

Table-topping Oxford look to build a lead at the top of League Two as struggling Bristol Rovers come to the Kassam. Rovers haven't won away from home all season and currently find themselves just two places and one point above the relegation zone, having endured a miserable season so far. And while our home form isn't exactly sparkling, we have to look at this game as a great opportunity to build on last week's win at AFC Wimbledon.

Bristol Rovers are currently winless in nine league games, a run which stretches back to August, though they did earn a point against Chesterfield last week. Injuries have plagued the Gas this season, a problem manager John Ward has looked to address this week by signing striker Chris Beardsley from Preston. He looks set to go straight into the Pirates' starting XI this weekend but who will partner him up front seems to be up for grabs. Matt Harrold's chances of playing are rated as '50/50' while David Clarkson is suspended after being red-carded a couple of weeks ago.

In contrast, Oxford will be boosted by the returns of several important players. Deane Smalley came off the bench to play a big part last week and could start as a result, while Dave Kitson is back from suspension following his sending off against Exeter. Could James Constable be dropped to the bench, despite finding the net last weekend? Alfie Potter is also back from injury this week after being ruled out by a hamstring problem in recent weeks, providing a feast of attacking options after last week's famine. Chris Wilder does have one problem position, however, after Tom Newey picked up his fifth yellow card of the season last Saturday. And with Jon Meades still injured it leaves us looking very light at left-back. But with Johnny Mullins returning at centre-back and both Jake Wright and Michael Raynes looking undroppable might we see a return to three at the back in a 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 formation? Time will tell.

Underestimate Bristol Rovers at your peril. The Pirates started last season in similarly disastrous fashion but finished the season strongly as the league's form side – and they demonstrated how difficult they can be on their last visit to the Kassam Stadium. Then, the tables were reversed as an in-form Bristol Rovers arrived to face a hopelessly out-of-form United and duly took the three points with a comfortable 2-0 victory. There are few predicting a repeat of that this time around but League Two has been so ridiculously topsy-turvy this season that anything could happen.

From the Vaults

Oxford United v Bristol Rovers, 10^th August 2010

Oxford returned to action in the League Cup after a four-year absence with a bang, putting six past League One Bristol Rovers in our first home game of the season. Simon Heslop and James Constable each netted twice, while Matt Green and Jack Midson were also on target. Enjoy!

You can find this and many other old OUFC matches in the VIDEO VAULT!

Also This Weekend

It's not just the first team currently topping their league. The youth team are at it too and they're back in league action this weekend at home to Hereford United after Wednesday's comfortable 3-0 win over Didcot in the FA Youth Cup. They've already been beaten once by the Bulls this season, 4-2 in the League Cup, so will be eager for the chance of revenge this time out. The match kicks off at 11 at Roman Way so there's plenty of time to get down to the Kassam once it's over if you fancy a full day of football.

Don't forget you can find full fixture lists for women's, development and youth teams on our Fixtures page!

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PREVIEW: Exeter Home (22/10/13)

It's still very early days in the season but this week's match against Exeter has the potential to be one of those standout matches that mark a turning point in the direction of our season. With Exeter third and us currently fourth and one point behind, recent weeks have seen the top of the table become somewhat cramped as the early pacesetters have slipped and the chasing pack have caught up. But at the end of this round of fixtures, there's a very good chance that things will be less bunched as some drop points and others pull away. A win could see us go top while a defeat would put us four points behind and thus the result of this game could determine whether we remain one of the pacesetters or slip back to become one of the chasing pack.

The latter is a position which has become familiar to our opponents this week. While United have spent much of their time so far this season in the top three, Exeter have just moved into that echelon for the first time this season after a recent run of form which has seen them win three of their last four. Their 4-0 win away at Scunthorpe on Saturday was a real statement of intent but having moved into the top three on the back of such an impressive result the Grecians have now put themselves in a position to be shot at and this is what we have to try and do.

However, we'll have to do it without some important players. Johnny Mullins and Deane Smalley are both unlikely to be fit and Alfie Potter is a definite absentee. To an extent it simplifies matters as far as team selection is concerned. I would expect David Hunt will return to his usual right-back position with Jake Wright and Michael Raynes in the centre. With Potter out, Ryan Williams should come in on the right wing in a standard 4-4-2 formation. Of course, there have been a few occasions this season when Chris Wilder has chosen to shake things up and caught the opposition off guard – as against Northampton last time at the Kassam – but with the players available a 4-4-2 would seem the most likely lineup.

And while our injuries seem to be mounting up right now, Exeter appear to be heading towards a clean bill of health, with Matt Oakley the only notable absentee. He is replaced in the midfield by the returning Matt Gill who came off the bench to feature on Saturday after signing from Bristol Rovers last week.

Exeter have won their last three games on the road and naturally come into the game full of confidence. Our home form is less than impressive and Exeter are typically a side that we struggle against at the Kassam, with last season's disappointing 4-2 defeat a case in point. But, as has already been much discussed, if this season is to be different we need to overcome that and pick up more results at home and there have been some positive signs that we are moving in the right direction in this area. A win against Exeter would certainly back that up in style and put us in a very handy position.

From the Vaults

Oxford United v Exeter City, 4^th September 2007

Having taken a look back at some of Oxford's greatest comebacks last week we unfortunately now remember an occasion when United were caught on the wrong side of similar heroics. With the pain of our recent play-off defeat at the hands of Exeter still raw, we appeared to be well on our way to exorcising those demons when the Grecians returned to the Kassam the following season. Two penalties from Rob Duffy had given us a comfortable lead but in typical fashion we collapsed in the second half, conceding the equaliser in injury time to draw 2-2.

You can find this and many other old OUFC matches in the VIDEO VAULT!

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5 of the Best Oxford Comebacks

In the world of football what's better than winning? Winning against the odds, of course. There is little sweeter than snatching something from a game when all appeared lost, particularly if it happens to come right at the end of the match. So we thought we'd trawl our Youtube archives to bring you some of the finest comebacks engineered by various Oxford United sides through the years. Enjoy!

5-2 v Leeds United, 24^th November 1984

The mighty yellows had started the season well and already had their eye on the Division Two title when fifth-placed Leeds came to the Manor for the first ever league encounter between the two clubs. Leeds, for their part, were looking for revenge after being dumped out of the League Cup by Oxford the previous season and raced to a two-goal lead. Gary Briggs pulled a goal back before half-time to reignite hopes of a result but few could have predicted what would follow after the break. Billy Hamilton equalised almost immediately after the restart before John Aldridge stole the show with an incredible hat-trick.

5-5 v Portsmouth, 3^rd November 1995

As this match entered the final 20 minutes it appeared that Oxford would be on the end of a thrashing, having been completely dominated by Portsmouth for the majority of the game. In fact, they could have scored more than the five they did manage if not for an impressive display of goalkeeping from Paul Reece but they were nevertheless 3-0 up with half an hour played and it looked like things might get embarrassing. Dave Penney pulled one back but hopes of a comeback were shortlived as we shipped another at the other end, though Jim Magilton volleyed home to reduce the deficit to two goals once again. United looked to be dead and buried when Pompey made it 5-2 and when John Durnin netted a third Oxford goal in the 73^rd it looked little more than a consolation. Magilton converted a penalty in injury time to bring it back to 5-4 and immediately from the restart Chrissy Allen seized on a rebound to cap a remarkable comeback as the yellows snatched a point.

2-1 v York City, 8^th August 2009

The summer of 2009 was filled with promise as Chris Wilder rebuilt the side ready for a promotion challenge. Hopes were high going into the opening day clash with York but as the match entered the final minutes things had fallen a little flat. York deservedly led 1-0 after Richard Brodie broke free and were looking assured as United struggled to get into sort of rhythm during the game. Then, on 88 minutes, Matt Green was put through by Luke Foster and flicked over the goalkeeper to equalise. But the drama wasn't over there and with the game now into injury time Mark Creighton came up for a corner to fire in after chaos in the penalty area.

2-1 v Crawley Town, 1^st December 2009

The 2009-10 season had drama aplenty but few matches could have topped this one. United were 1-0 down and struggling at the Broadfield Stadium after falling behind on 15 minutes. In desperation Chris Wilder chucked on James Constable, Alfie Potter and Onome Sodje late in the game in an attempt to reverse his side's fortunes but still it looked like we would be going home empty-handed. Then, with seven minutes left to play, Adam Chapman levelled the scores and Oxford were looking ascendant. When James Constable won a penalty deep in injury time it appeared the comeback was complete but he saw his spot-kick saved. It seemed we'd have to be content with a point, until Chapman crossed for Constable to ghost in in the 92^nd minute.

3-3 v Accrington Stanley, 1^st December 2012

Late action was the order of the day in this goal-fest last season. United seemed to have thrown it away when Jon-Paul Pittman's opener was cancelled out before the break and when James Beattie gave the hosts the lead with a wonder-goal ten minutes from time it appeared Oxford would be sent crashing out of the FA Cup. Alfie Potter played in James Constable to level just six minutes later but any plans for the replay were put on hold when Lee Molyneux curled in a free-kick in stoppage time. But up stepped Michael Raynes to save the day as he headed in in the 94^th minute to keep the yellows hanging on by the skin of their teeth in the tie, just seconds before the final whistle.

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PREVIEW: Northampton Home (12/10/13)

This Saturday offers another chance to end what has been a miserable run of form at home as struggling Northampton come to town. Tuesday's JPT defeat to Portsmouth was our third consecutive defeat at the Kassam and debate over the club's home form has raged (including on this site with two articles here and here).

Typically, the Cobblers, who have started the season limply and currently find themselves second bottom in the table, picked up their first away points of the season last weekend with a 2-0 win over AFC Wimbledon. And having struggled to keep the goals out in the opening stages of the season Northampton have followed up their first clean sheet of the season a fortnight ago with another shutout last weekend, so it's not going to be easy to break them down – something we have notoriously struggled to do at home. One piece of welcome news is the doubtful fitness of Chris Hackett, a familiar face after spending the first six years of his career here.

More welcome news comes from the Oxford camp, with the surprisingly quick return to form of Jake Wright and Andy Whing's return from suspension. That should cause a nice dilemma for Chris Wilder, with Michael Raynes filling in admirably in the centre of defence while the captain was out and an encouraging performance in the middle of the park from Josh Ruffels during the week. The only long-term absentee now is Jon Meades, who is still yet to make his competitive debut and is set to miss a further three months of football after an operation during the week.

It's crucial that we don't concede the first goal this weekend as that will likely double the already difficult task of breaking down a stubborn Northampton side. Aidy Boothroyd's sides are usually set up to be difficult to play against but it's one of those games where it's important to keep the ball on the floor because we won't be able to compete with them in the air. This was the approach we took for the Cobblers' last visit last November and it worked well, but we allowed ourselves to be dragged into a battle at Sixfields in the snow and came out on the wrong side side of a 1-0 scoreline.

From the Vaults

Oxford United v Northampton Town, 2^nd December 1995

Oxford were looking for a quick recovery following a 2-1 defeat to Colchester in the Auto Windscreens during the week when Northampton came to town for an FA Cup second round tie. The Third Division side came to the Manor with high hopes of causing an upset but after Stuart Massey opened the scoring it turned out to be a straightforward victory for Denis Smith's men with Paul Moody striking late on to make it safe.

You can find this and many other old OUFC matches in the VIDEO VAULT!

Also This Weekend

The youth team look to follow up their 7-1 thrashing of Swindon a fortnight ago with a trip to the Youth Alliance South West division leaders Cheltenham Town this weekend. It's a tough fixture but after scoring 12 goals in their last two games, somehow I think they won't be too daunted.

The women's development squad are also coming into this weekend on the back of a 7-1 result – a 7-1 thrashing at the hands of Arsenal in their opening WSL Development League match last week. Ordinarily if you lose 7-1 in your first match you find yourself bottom of the table, but fortunately Watford (8-1 v Reading) and Yeovil (7-0 v Millwall) had even more calamitous results. And it's the Glovers who we take on next as the girls travel to Somerset for a Development League Cup match.

Don't forget you can find full fixture lists for women's, development and youth teams on our Fixtures page!

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PREVIEW: Southend Home (05/10/13)

Southend are the visitors this week as the mighty yellows look to build on last weekend's 3-1 win over Hartlepool and give the home fans something to cheer about. With United currently second in the table you'd think Oxford fans would be feeling good at the moment, but supporters haven't seen Oxford win at home since the visit of Bury back in August, with two draws and a defeat in subsequent matches at the Kassam. No wonder then that some fans are feeling a little unloved at the moment, but this weekend's match offers an opportunity to put that right.

That's not the only sequence of results we'd like to see overturned this weekend. Our recent form against Southend is miserable, with just one win in our last ten encounters. The last time the Shrimpers visited the Kassam was to knock us out of the JPT back in January, following that up the following month with a 1-0 win at Roots Hall.

That said, the Southend which comes to town this weekend is quite a different beast to the one which has caused us so much pain in the last few years. Paul Sturrock is out and new boss Phil Brown has not enjoyed the easiest of starts to his tenure in Essex. After winning the first three games of the season, Southend have since failed to register a single victory and haven't scored more than once in a game since the middle of August.

As a result, they took the rather drastic step of naming six first-team players in a development squad match against Colchester during the week in an attempt to get them back into a winning frame of mind ahead of their trip to the Kassam. Only time will tell whether the resulting 5-1 victory will have given them a much-needed confidence boost or will have tired them out ahead of the weekend.

Picture by Jon Whiles Photography

Chris Wilder has some interesting selection choices to make this weekend. For example, does he keep faith with the side which responded so strongly last weekend? If so, that will mean no place in the side for the returning Dave Kitson after he served his one-match ban last week. And what about James Constable, who is returning to full fitness after chipping a bone in his foot? Could Alfie Potter, who has been one of our most important players so far this season, be the one to miss out for either of the returning strikers? Certainly it would seem harsh on Ryan Williams to be dropped after impressing on the right wing last weekend and scoring his first senior goal. One thing we can say with certainty is that fit-again Max Crocombe will return to the bench this weekend, after Shwan Jalal was recalled by Bournemouth during the week.

From the Vaults

Oxford United v Southend United, 24^th August 1996

The season was young when Southend came to the Manor for our first home league game of the season. We had returned to the second tier after two seasons away and began with a trip to QPR, freshly relegated from the Premier League. Southend had been mainstays at this level since their promotion in 1991, but their star was falling and they arrived at Oxford with a season of struggle ahead of them...

You can find this and many other old OUFC matches in our VIDEO VAULT!

Also This Weekend

Oxford get their first taste of WSL football this weekend. Although the new WSL2 season doesn't begin until next year, the women's development squad begin their WSL Development League season on Sunday with something of a trial by fire. They travel to Hertfordshire University to face Arsenal's development squad in the Southern Division.

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PREVIEW: Chesterfield Home (21/09/13)

With just seven games gone so far the current League Two season may still be in its infancy, but this weekend's meeting of first and second already seems to be shaping up to be a monster of a match. Chesterfield, the only other unbeaten side in the division, come to town looking to firmly establish themselves at the top of the league and the result of this game could go some way to determining the outlook at the top of the table for quite a while after. Victory for Chesterfield would put them seven points clear of us, while if we come out on top there will be just a single point separating the two sides.

The Spireites have been imperial form at the start of this season, with six wins and one draw so far, their best start to a season for more than a century. That solitary occasion when Chesterfield have dropped points came a month ago when they were held to a 2-2 draw at Rochdale. Since then they have gone on to string together a run of four straight victories. In contrast, of course, we have only won one of our last four matches (a very impressive 2-0 victory away at Burton) and haven't won at home since Bury were the visitors in our second match of the season.

But there are still plenty of good reasons to be hopeful ahead of this match. As Chesterfield's recent results show, they're not a side to sit back and play for a draw away from home and they will obviously come into the match confident of getting a result. This could actually play into our hands, as probably the best counter-attacking side in the league, and the usual problem of breaking sides down at home should be less of a problem this weekend.

What could be a problem, however, is the quality that Chesterfield boast throughout their ranks. Former Premier League player Ian Evatt has struggled to win a starting place, while experienced striker Gary McSheffrey is another new recruit after making his debut from the bench in last weekend's impressive 2-0 victory over AFC Wimbledon. They've further strengthened their squad this week with the signing of Ollie Banks from FC United of Manchester for an undisclosed fee. Top-scorer Gary Roberts has been the star of the show for Chesterfield so far this season, picking up the Player of the Month award last month ahead of Alfie Potter. Another player to watch for the Spireites this weekend is Ivorian striker Armand Gnanduillet, who has already popped up with important goals against Southend and Portsmouth after signing from French side Poissy during the summer.

Picture by Jon Whiles Photography

The big news to come out of the United camp ahead of this match is the early return of Sean Rigg from injury. He had been expected to miss up to eight weeks with a hamstring injury after he limped off against Torquay, but just four weeks later here he is back amongst the matchday squad. But after missing out for the past few weeks, it seems unlikely that he'll come straight back into the first team, so expect to see him on the bench this weekend. One player who definitely won't be on the bench for this match is Tyrone Marsh, who has been ruled out with a sore foot. He joins James Constable, Jake Wright and Jon Meades on the treatment table.

This of course leaves us with just two strikers available for this match in Dave Kitson and the injury-plagued Deane Smalley. And although Smalley's fitness has been doubtful in recent weeks, expect him to play a big part this weekend against his old club. He rejected an offer from Chesterfield in the summer of 2011 after helping them win promotion, opting for a move to Oxford instead. Andy Whing is another to have formerly featured for Chesterfield, making 11 appearances on loan at Saltergate from Brighton in the latter part of the 2009-10 campaign. On the other side of the divide is Sam Togwell, who made four undistinguished appearances for the yellows in 2004 on loan from Crystal Palace. He has since carved out a decent career for himself, with stints at Barnsley and Scunthorpe before joining Chesterfield last year.

Oxford have never beaten Chesterfield at the Kassam – although the two sides have only met there on two previous occasions. The first of those was a rather unexceptional 0-0 draw in the 2010-11 season and that latter was one we'd probably rather forget. The Spireites ground out a 1-0 win in what was a turgid game as United struggled to get going, giving Chesterfield a double victory after their controversial2-1 home win earlier in the season. But before we start to feel that all the omens are against us, let's remember our first trip to Chesterfield's new home when the then-table-toppers were toppled by an Oxford side on a miserable run of five defeats. Football's a funny old game.

From the Vaults

Oxford United v Chesterfield, 12^th August 1995

Oxford kicked off the 95-96 season with high hopes of promotion once again after disappointingly falling short the previous year. The opponents on the opening day of the season were newly-promoted Chesterfield and Oxford appeared to be stuttering to a drab 0-0 draw until Chrissy Allen's effort late in the game. We all love a last-minute winner, don't we?

You can find this and many other old OUFC matches in our VIDEO VAULT!

Also This Weekend

The youth team look to build on last week's 2-0 victory over Newport County as they make another long trip down to the south-west to face Exeter City. Victory this weekend would see the young yellows leapfrog their opponents, who have made an identical start to the season as our lads with two wins, a draw and a defeat from their opening league games.

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PREVIEW: Cheltenham Away (14/09/13)

Oxford travel to Cheltenham looking to keep up their 100% away record, after some impressive victories on the road at Portsmouth, Torquay and Burton already this season. In contrast, Cheltenham are still yet to win a league game at Whaddon Road so far this season, after draws with Burton and Portsmouth and a defeat to Plymouth.

Injuries have hampered Cheltenham's start to the season after an impressive run to the play-offs last season. Jamie Cureton was a big-name signing during the summer, but he has missed all but the opening 20 minutes of the campaign so far, dislocating his shoulder as he scored his first goal for the Robins in their season opener against Burton. Troy Brown and Craig Braham-Barrett are also absent at the back, which could go some way to explaining Cheltenham's poor defensive record so far. The loan signing of Bristol City's James Wilson yesterday would seem to be an attempt to rectify that particular problem area and he's expected to make his debut this weekend.

Chris Wilder has also dipped into the loan market this week, bringing in Bournemouth goalkeeper Shwan Jalal on a month's loan as cover, after Max Crocombe sustained a shoulder injury. James Constable seems unlikely to start after hobbling off last weekend at Burton, so the returning Deane Smalley could be set to link up again with Dave Kitson up front after a hamstring problem has kept him sidelined for the last couple of weeks.

Last time United made the trip to Whaddon Road they put four past Cheltenham in the JPT, revenge for the miserable 2-1 defeat they inflicted on us less than a month before. That was actually the first time we had been beaten in the league at Cheltenham in a decade when Ian Atkins oversaw a 2-0 defeat in April 2002. That said, until that JPT win (backed up by victory at the Kassam later in the season) Oxford hadn't beaten Cheltenham in any competition since 2005 – a run of eight matches. But with the last two matches going our way, let's hope we can make it a hat-trick of victories this weekend!

From the Vaults

Cheltenham Town v Oxford United, 9^th October 2012

Oxford made their second trip of the season to Cheltenham, having been beaten 2-1 in the league less than a month before. This time the result was rather different, Oxford twice falling behind but goals from Tom Craddock, Harry Worley, James Constable and Peter Leven secured passage into the next round.

You can find this and many other old OUFC matches in our NEW & IMPROVED VIDEO VAULT!

Also This Weekend

The youth team look to recover from recent defeats to Plymouth and Hereford in their first home match of the season, as Newport County come to town for a Youth Alliance fixture. Newport picked up their first point since returning to the Youth Alliance, holding champions Bristol Rovers to a 1-1 draw in their last match.

Don't forget you can find full fixture lists for women's, development and youth teams on our Fixtures page!

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PREVIEW: Burton Away (07/09/13)

Oxford face their toughest test so far this weekend as they travel to unbeaten Burton Albion looking to maintain their own unbeaten record in a clash between second and third in the early League Two table. The Brewers have specialised in scoring late goals in recent weeks, narrowly beating struggling Accrington 1-0 last weekend thanks to a 98th-minute winner from Adam Reed and scoring twice in the final ten minutes to salvage a 2-2 draw against Bury the previous week. Hardly the most impressive of ways to stay unbeaten, but no doubt demonstrating an admirable stubbornness and knack of grinding out results, which is probably the most important quality in a promotion-chasing side at this level.

As for ourselves, we've not exactly been convincing in recent home draws against Wycombe and Rochdale, but have similarly avoided defeat in games where we have perhaps not impressed as we might have liked. Those matches, of course were both at home, where we have struggled for quite some time. On the road we've looked unstoppable, currently boasting a 100% record from our two games so far and scoring seven times in the process. Burton are currently unbeaten at the Pirelli Stadium so far this season, so one of those records has to end this weekend.

Unlike ourselves, Burton were in action during the week in the first round of the JPT, losing 1-0 away to Notts County. Manager Gary Rowett rested several key players for the trip to Meadow Lane, with the likes of Lee Bell, Rory Delap, Chris Hussey, Adam McGurk and Rene Howe all likely to return for this fixture.

Meanwhile, the news coming out of the Oxford camp ahead of this match is that Deane Smalley – who has missed the last two matches due to a hamstring – is fit for this game. Although of course they also said the same ahead of the last two games, so who knows! Andy Whing and Alfie Potter have also been ruled fit despite having their own fitness problems, but the real news is that Alfie has finally shaved his beard!

Many Oxford fans are still haunted by our last trip to Burton, a match I'm sure most of us would rather forget. On the miserable day almost exactly a year ago, we watched our side get destroyed by four goals to nil in the middle of a six-match losing streak. In fact we've never won a Football League game at the Pirelli, though in our Conference days we were unbeaten at Burton. A return to that sort of form this weekend, please.

Travelling supporters can play their own part in making sure that happens. After the success of 'Flag Day' against Wycombe a couple of weeks ago, the Yellow Army has designated this 'Flag Away Day'. Just like then, make sure you bring any flags, banners or scarves you have to match and bring as much colour to the away end as possible. Every little helps!

From the Vaults

Burton Albion v Oxford United, 17^th April 2009

United arrived at table-topping Burton on a late play-off charge, while Burton needed just a point to secure promotion to the Football League for the first time in their history. Oxford, meanwhile, needed a win to keep the play-off dream alive...

Also This Weekend

Having received a bye in the first round of the JPT, our first tie of the competition is set to be announced this weekend. The draw is being made at 10:15am on Saturday morning live on Soccer AM and will see us pitted against one of the following: Crawley Town, Newport County, Swindon Town, Coventry City, Peterborough United, Southend United, Stevenage, Brentford, Plymouth Argyle, Dagenham & Redbridge, Wycombe Wanderers, Leyton Orient, MK Dons, Portsmouth, Bristol City.

The youth team take a break this weekend from their South West Combination campaign after their 2-1 defeat to Plymouth last weekend. They travel up to Birmingham for a friendly against Birmingham City FA on Sunday and the match is open to the public, should you find yourself up that way for some reason. Kick-off at Ray Hall Lane (B43 6JF) is at 1pm.

And if you can't make it to Burton, don't forget that Saturday is Non-League Day! Oxford City, still looking for their first win in the Conference North this season, host 14th-placed Colwyn Bay at Court Place Farm. Didcot Town, who picked up their first win of the season last weekend in the FA Cup against Wantage Town (something of a grudge match, as Didcot manager Andy Wallbridge was sacked by Wantage at the end of last season, despite finishing second in the league!), are at home to Yate Town in the Southern League Division One South and West. In the Hellenic League, both Abingdon sides are at home as Town host Ascot United (goals guaranteed!) and United welcome Bracknell Town. There are also home ties for local sides Thame United (an Oxfordshire derby v Carterton) and Kidlington (v Newbury Town) in the first qualifying round of the FA Vase.

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PREVIEW: Wycombe Home (24/08/13)

So the 'Derby That's Not Really a Derby' returns this weekend as Wycombe come to town looking to knock their supposed rivals off their perch. We, of course, are top of the league at this early stage in the season with a 100% record from our first three league games and looking to make it four from four. But even a cursory glance at our record at home to Wycombe in recent years should set off alarm bells, with the yellows unable to beat Wycombe at the Kassam since 2005. Those Oxford fans predicting a comfortable home win could be shocked to find the form book overturned this weekend.

Wycombe's start to the season has been something of a mixed bag, with a 1-0 opening day victory at home to Morecambe being followed up by defeats to Wimbledon and Mansfield. By all accounts the Chairboys' display last weekend was a real shocker so they could either be drained of confidence ahead of their visit to Oxford, or (more likely) seeking a response. Similar to last week's opponents Torquay, Wycombe's matches have so far been low-scoring affairs, with just three goals scored in their league matches (and only one of those for Wycombe). But with United so far having scored nine times and conceded three in our opening three league games, that record could be about to change.

Wycombe are likely to hand a debut to 20-year-old midfielder Billy Knott who joined on loan from Sunderland during the week, while striker Paris Cowan-Hall is likely to miss out with medial ligament damage sustained last week. Captain Stuart Lewis is another absentee, currently serving a suspension after getting sent off in Wycombe's defeat to Wimbledon.

Sean Rigg will be a big miss for Oxford after tearing his hamstring at Plainmoor last week, which will keep him out of the side for six to eight weeks, but we will be boosted by the return of Alfie Potter and Dave Kitson after the batterings they've received in recent matches. The absence of Rigg means that Callum O'Dowda could get a run of games in his place, having impressed hugely during pre-season. Of course, last weekend Chris Wilder chose to replace him with Asa Hall and he got his name on the scoresheet, which certainly provides some food for thought. Whoever gets the nod against Wycombe would seem most likely to feature in Wilder's plans over the coming weeks.

As you might expect with two clubs that are separated by just 30 miles, there are several familiar faces in the two sides. Foremost among those is Jon-Paul Pittman, who spent the last two seasons at the Kassam after joining from...Wycombe. His time at the club was ravaged with injury and as a result we never saw the best of him and he made just 12 appearances in all competitions during that time. Another name on the Wycombe teamsheet that will conjure some (mostly negative) memories for United fans is Dean Morgan. His brief spell on loan at the Kassam Stadium was characterised mostly by his prima donna antics and most were relieved to see the back of him when he finally left the club. Scott Davies also has a Wycombe link; the Aylesbury-born midfielder was in Wycombe's (now-defunct) Academy until he was sold to Reading aged 14 and also spent some time on loan at Adams Park in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons, making a total of 27 appearances in all competitions and scoring six goals.

Wycombe's visit to Grenoble Road last season is one we'd rather not remember as the Chairboys ran out comfortable 1-0 winners after an insipid Oxford performance. In fact, we've only beaten Wycombe once at the Kassam Stadium when Ramon Diaz oversaw a 2-1 home victory with goals from Jamie Brooks and Steve Basham. However, it's not all bad. Our last visit to Wycombe was a very happy one indeed, as United put on an imperious performance to beat the Chairboys 3-1, having lost the previous six away league games. Proof indeed that when these two sides meet, form goes out of the window.

ALSO: Don't forget that this match is Yellow Army Flag Day! If you own an Oxford United flag it's your job this weekend to bring it, hang it up at the stadium or wave it as they players come out. Don't have one? That's no problem! The Yellow Army will be selling flags outside the 12^th Man Bar tomorrow, or if you have a bit of spare time on your hands, why not make one?

From the Vaults

Wycombe Wanderers v Oxford United, 11^th November 2006

18 matches into our first season in the Conference and still unbeaten, having just beaten title rivals Dagenham & Redbridge away in the preceding qualifying round, optimism was high going into this match. However, it just wasn't meant to be on the day and after matching Wycombe for much of the game the higher league side's clinical finishing proved the difference between the two teams.

You can find this and many other old OUFC matches in our NEW & IMPROVED VIDEO VAULT!

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PREVIEW: Torquay Away (17/08/13)

Oxford head down to Torquay looking to build on their 100% start to the league campaign. The yellows went top of the league on goals scored after last week's 2-1 win over Bury, but having been in this position at the same point last year most fans are all too aware how early in the season we still are.

It's still an unusual position for us to be in though, having scored six goals in our opening two games – we only scored 59 in 46 games last season. That could all come to an end this afternoon, however, as Torquay's matches so far this season have all been low-scoring affairs, with 1-1 draws in the league against Wimbledon and Morecambe sandwiching a 1-0 League Cup defeat to Swindon. Alan Knill typically sets up his sides to be difficult to break down and it seems that this Torquay team are no different. Although they've not yet been hitting the net with tremendous regularity themselves so far, they could be boosted by the return of Elliot Benyon from a head injury which ruled him out of the Morecambe game last night. Also possibly returning for the Gulls is goalkeeper Michael Poke, while young prospect Dan Sullivan could be one to watch after he made his senior debut last weekend and scored twice in a friendly against Cheltenham during the week.

As for ourselves, while Chris Wilder is often criticised for tinkering too much with the team, it seems he is keen at this stage to keep a settled lineup, so expect minimal changes from the side which has impressed against Bury and Portsmouth. Dave Kitson is obviously a doubt after being on the receiving end of some rough treatment last week but other than that expect the side to look more or less the same as we've seen in the last couple of weeks.

The only player likely to feature with a connection between the two sides is Torquay's Lee Mansell, who spent one miserable season at the Kassam when the club was relegated to the Conference, though he was voted player of the season at the end of it all. Unfortunately for him, Mansell then suffered relegation to the Conference again the following season with Torquay, though this time he stuck around and has remained a vital player for the Gulls ever since, helping them back into the Football League in 2009. He has featured in all of Torquay's games so far, so expect to see him once again in midfield for the hosts this time around.

Torquay boss Alan Knill is also an old friend of Chris Wilder's. He was manager of Bury while Wilder was assistant there, so expect a touching reunion this weekend...

Torquay are always a club I think of as something of a bogey team, but that's not something which appears to be backed up by the record books. Oxford are currently unbeaten against Torquay in the last five meetings between the two sides. Our last trip to Plainmoor was a happy one, as we came away with an impressive 3-1 win, though the Gulls held us to a frustrating 0-0 draw at the Kassam last season.

From the Vaults

Torquay United v Oxford United, 10^th December 2005

We've had some great matches down the years at Torquay, and this was one of the most spectacular. As mentioned above, the 2005-06 season was not a happy one for Oxford, but in the opening exchanges of this match everything finally clicked into place. Eric Sabin was looking a world-beater and soon bagged himself a brace, while a penalty from Lee Bradbury put the U's 3-1 up inside the first 20 minutes. Of course it wouldn't last, and Torquay struck back to reclaim a 3-3 draw. Still we'll always have this rare moment of genius from Sabin!

You can find this and many other old OUFC matches in our NEW & IMPROVED VIDEO VAULT!

Also This Weekend

Fans who get to Torquay early can catch an Oxford double-header this weekend. The youth team are also away at Torquay as they look to build on their 3-2 victory over Swindon on the opening day of the season. The match kicks off at 11am, leaving plenty of time to get to Plainmoor to watch the first team, so if you can get there don't miss it! The address of the ground is as follows:

Cullompton RFC

Speeds Meadow

Cullompton

EX15 1DW

The ladies team are also in action this weekend as they host Sporting Club Albion (aka West Brom) of the WPL North in a friendly on Sunday. They lost 2-0 in a friendly away at Nottingham Forest last weekend, so they'll be looking for a reaction this time around. Kick-off is 2pm on Sunday at Roman Way.

Don't forget you can find full fixture lists for ladies, development and youth teams on our Fixtures page!

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PREVIEW: Bury Home (10/08/13)

Won one, lost one. So reads the form of both Oxford and Bury going into this match, although in reverse order. While our post-Portsmouth elation was deflated somewhat by League Cup defeat at Charlton, Bury were able to shake off a less-than-ideal 2-0 home defeat to Chesterfield on the opening day with an impressive 3-2 win over League One Crewe on Tuesday.

Honours even there, then. Bury come into the season as something of an unknown quantity after a summer of upheaval which has seen new owners and a huge number of new players. Things were looking bleak for the Shakers at the end of last season as they crashed out of League One with mounting financial troubles which threatened the very future of the club. Fortunately for Bury, new chairman Stewart Day has come in and appears to have stabilised the club, allowing manager Kevin Blackwell to build a side to compete in League Two.

There at least Bury are a familiar proposition. Blackwell has a wealth of experience of building effective but unspectacular sides, which seems just the thing needed to get out of this league. With money tight and limited numbers of players, Blackwell seems to be looking to keep an established side and build an understanding among a stable starting XI. New loan signing Jordan Sinnott could come into the side, but other than that it seems unlikely that Bury will make many changes to the side that has started the last two games, with Shaun Harrad and Ashley Grimes leading the line.

In contrast, Chris Wilder shuffled the pack for the trip to Charlton with four changes to the side which won at Portsmouth on the opening day. And all indications are that there will be several changes again for this match, with Wilder's preferred XI likely to resemble the one which started last week at Fratton Park. Alfie Potter, Sean Rigg, Deane Smalley and Dave Kitson are all expected to return for the yellows as Wilder looks to return to his strongest side for the visit of Bury.

Bury are another of Chris Wilder's former clubs, having spent six months as assistant manager at Gigg Lane prior to taking the Oxford job. Tom Newey is another of the current Oxford side to list the Shakers among his former clubs, making 32 appearances for Bury during the 2009-10 season before leaving for Rotherham.

You have to go back to September 2005 for our last victory over Bury, when we beat the Shakers 2-1 in what was a rare win under Brian Talbot. Since then our record isn't so great with Bury doing the double the last time the two sides were in the same division, winning 2-1 at the Kassam and 3-0 at Gigg Lane on their way to promotion. The first of those was a frustrating game in which United dominated but were ultimately undone by a more disciplined and clinical side – an early lesson soon after our return to the Football League. The latter was far more comprehensive, as Oxford's season fizzled out while Bury went from strength to strength during the run-in and there was only ever one side in the contest. Matches between the two sides haven't typically been thrilling affairs – in seven meetings between 1997 and 2000 the two sides produced just 11 goals (an average of just 1.5 per game). Let's hope for something better this time around!

From the Vaults

Oxford United v Bury, 15^th November 1997

The 97/98 season had started awfully and as it was quickly becoming apparent that all was not well within the club, as supporters became disenfranchised with those behind the scenes. Things were no better on the field and this dull draw came in the midst of a seven game winless streak. Despite dominating possession we were unable to turn this into goals and ultimately paid the price, conceding a poor equalizer to an average Bury side. Enjoy!

You can find this and many other old OUFC matches in our NEW & IMPROVED VIDEO VAULT!

Also This Weekend

The youth team begin their Youth Alliance campaign with a highly-anticipated trip to Swindon Town. Last season Oxford came out on top in all three meetings between the two sides (twice in the league, once in the cup) with an aggregate score of 8-2. Let's see if they can match that in one game this weekend! Their form has been mixed during their pre-season campaign, with big wins against Deddington Town, Bailey Elite Football Academy and Portsmouth, but also with defeats at Northampton and Wantage thrown in for good measure.

The Oxford United ladies team are back in action once again, though they won't play a competitive game until the commencement of the new WSL2 season in March next year. They're hoping to build on last weekend's 2-1 win over MK Dons in their first friendly with a trip to WPL North side Nottingham Forest, where they will come face-to-face with former player Nina Merritt, who joined Forest during the summer.

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