Matt Bound, who could return for Oxford United at Bristol Rovers tomorrow, says he has been mystified and angered by his recent omission.

The former Swansea captain, one of the team's most consistent players in the first half of the season, has not featured since being dropped after the 4-2 defeat at Hull on January 17.

And manager Ian Atkins admits Bound has been unlucky to be left out.

The 31-year-old Bound said: "It has been more than frustrating having to watch from the sidelines, in fact I am angry about it because I haven't been given any reason.

"I can't say more than that or I'll get into trouble.

"All I know is that whenever it comes to someone being bombed out, it always seems to be me. I seem to have been made a scapegoat for the Hull defeat, but I didn't feel it was just down to me.

"At the end of last season, I admit I had a few poor games.

"But I have worked hard and this season I feel I've definitely earned my place in the team even though I know I wasn't in the manager's plans last summer.

"So to be left out is even more frustrating when you don't feel you have done anything wrong."

Hull's win arguably exposed a lack of pace in United's defence, which Atkins remedied by recalling Jon Ashton, his free transfer signing from Leicester.

Yet the left-footed Bound and Matt Robinson combine well and the U's have not looked as fluid down the left flank since Bound was omitted.

It was thought that Ashton was suspended for tomorrow's game for collecting five bookings, but it has been confirmed that the yellow card he picked up at Yeovil was only his fourth.

Nevertheless, Atkins says Bound may well come back into the back three for the game at the Memorial Stadium, and insisted he hadn't been made a scapegoat for the defeat at Hull.

"We've had four defenders in there and they've all done exceptionally well," he said.

"He'd not done a massive amount wrong to be left out of the team, I just felt that for the Kidderminster game (after Hull) I needed people to get tight on their forwards and Jon was better at doing that.

"But Jon's now had 30 games in what is his first full season as a professional, and he's done very well.

"What we have missed a little bit has been Matt's delivery down the left."

Rovers' Memorial Ground pitch is covered in snow at the moment, but officials are confident the match will go ahead.