Midfield anchorman Paul Wanless is winning his race to be fit for Oxford United's League Two match at Leyton Orient this weekend.

Paul WanlessThe odds looked to be against him after a doctor found his recent illness to be bronchitis-related.

'Wanny' was forced to come off at half-time during the 1-0 home win over Mansfield and he missed last Saturday's 1-1 draw with Scunthorpe because of the illness.

Wanless said: "I'm desperate to get back because I hate missing games.

"I felt sick at half-time in the Mansfield match, but we found it was a bronchitis-thing. I have been on a course of penicillin which ended on Wednesday.

"I did a 25-minute run on Tuesday and felt a bit chesty and still a bit weak, but I certainly feel a lot better now.

"I'm just gauging it day by day. Fingers crossed I'll be back on Saturday. If I can't complete 85 minutes there's no point in being on the bench, but if I'm OK I'll tell the gaffer.

"Last Saturday I was never going to be able to play. I was really gutted to miss out, because I had played in all of the pre-season games and was delighted at how they had gone.

"I've done all the hard work in pre-season so there's no worry about my overall fitness, it's just a question of getting over this."

U's boss Graham Rix said last night: "He trained well today and I had a chat with him and he's available.

"What he had was quite nasty, but he's showing no after-effects so he's definitely in my plans."

Leo Roget is set to return to the back four after serving a one-match suspension, and Rix has to decide whether to play Jon Ashton or Lee Molyneux alongside the former Southend and Rushden centre half.

"Despite the mistakes he has made, Jon has played well. But, I must admit, Molyneaux has surprised me with the way he's performed, both in games and in training."

There is a good chance, it seems, that Roget and Wanless will both be back.

"The pair of them give us that strength, and height at set pieces, and they also have that experience which is important."