Oxford United won't allow any more players to go out on loan as they concentrate on trying to secure automatic promotion.

Manny Omoyinmi's spell at Conference club Margate has ended, and it will not be extended.

And although Jamie Brooks is being allowed to continue at Tamworth, manager Ian Atkins has rejected attempts by other clubs to take United players.

He said: "Manny's now finished his loan spell at Margate and won't be going back. Gravesend also asked to take him.

"And Leyton Orient have asked about Andy Scott, which might do him good, and might not.

"But if I can't bring anyone else in, I don't see why I should let anyone go out.

"With a question mark about Steve Basham at the moment, I don't want any of our strikers going anywhere."

Basham pulled a hamstring in Oxford's 1-0 defeat at Yeovil last Saturday which makes him doubtful for Bury's visit to the Kassam Stadium tomorrow.

"He's done a bit of light training and is probably 50-50," Atkins said. "But he won't want to drop out now with Lee Steele coming back. If he doesn't make it, Steele will come in.

"Scott has now played three reserve games and he'll come into the squad."

Dean Whitehead looks set to return to the team, and that won't please Bury.

The Abingdon midfielder was sensational in the second half of United's 4-0 win at Gigg Lane in October, when he, and Basham, both scored twice.

"The one they couldn't handle that day was Jefferson Louis," Atkins said. "And he is very much in my thinking as well, instead of Julian Alsop."

United are eager to maintain their excellent home record, and with second-placed Doncaster and fourth-placed Mansfield facing each other, they can put themselves in an even stronger position.