Manager Ian Atkins has set in-form Oxford United a Christmas target to put pressure on the leading teams in Division 3.

Ian Atkins The U's have won five games in succession without conceding a goal and are handily placed in ninth in the table, with a game in hand on all the clubs above them.

Atkins said: "We're looking at the games between now and the end of the season in batches, and I'd like nine points from the four games over Christmas and New Year.

"It doesn't matter how they come, even if we get them where we don't expect to."

The U's have their next two games at home, against lowly Exeter City on Saturday and third-placed Bournemouth on Boxing Day.

Those are followed by trips to second-placed Rushden & Diamonds on Saturday week and mid-table Southend on New Year's Day.

"The games come thick and fast at this time of year and it's an important time, not just for us, but for every team.

"I'm quite glad the way it works out that the last one of our four is away, because that's when you're most tired and you'd rather not be at home having to chase the game looking for victory.

"This division's all about strikers and what's encouraging for us is that our strikers are all coming back.

"And whereas we had to rush Steve Basham back a bit, because of injuries, the beauty of the way things have gone for us lately is that I haven't had to do that with Lee Steele.

"I've been able to be more patient because we've been getting results, and Lee will hopefuly get the benefit of that."

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