Ian Atkins has thrown down the gauntlet to strikers Mark Rawle and Lee Steele to get themselves fit over the next ten days when Oxford United are without a Division 3 game.

The squad have had a couple of days off following their disappointing 4-2 defeat at Hull on Saturday, but return with several fringe players getting an outing for the reserves in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Northampton Town Reserves today.

And Atkins reckons the next week or so is an important time for both Rawle and Steele.

"It's a wonderful opportunity for Steele and Rawle to have two weeks of hard fitness work," he said.

"It's no good people complaining that Rawle's not getting his chance. The fact is that he's not trained a lot and not played a lot."

In his defence, Rawle - who has scored six goals from just two league starts - needed orthotics because of an imbalance in the length of his legs, and with the club not meeting the cost, he had to wait until the PFA paid for them.

Atkins added: "Mark's now got the opportunity to top up his fitness levels. There's no substitute for playing.

"We've got Northampton Reserves and Derby County behind closed doors and then Yeovil Reserves next week, so there will be the opportunity for a few players to get three games in. In match fitness terms, that's a lot of football.

"We're not sure exactly of the venue for the Derby game, but it will be at their place and will be behind closed doors.

"Two weeks without a game is a long time sometimes and players need to keep playing. And in games like this, maybe we can try out a few things for the following week."

Loan striker Richie Foran injured a muscle in his rib cage during the game at Hull, but if he has recovered from that, he too may play in the reserve friendly.

Definitely marked down to play are Jon Ashton, Dave Waterman, Chris Hackett, Danny Brown, David Oldfield, Steele and Rawle.