MICKEY Lewis faces his toughest test yet as Oxford United's temporary manager in tonight's visit to high-flying Notts County.

United are unbeaten in five games under Lewis's charge but they will be even bigger underdogs for this evening's Division 2 game at Meadow Lane than they were for their derby date at Reading.

The Magpies are fifth in the table, but are level on points with second-placed Brentford and few sides have managed to score against them.

Lewis says he will probably resist the temptation to start with striker Steve Anthrobus, who made such an impact when he came off the bench in Saturday's 2-2 draw in the FA Cup at Shrewsbury.

"I don't think he's quite ready for a full game because he's only trained a couple of days," Lewis said. "He might be more valuable to us coming on as a sub."

The caretaker boss has added Peter Fear and Ross Weatherstone to the squad that played at Gay Meadow.

He suggested that, for a game like this, there may be a need to use Les Robinson once again in the holding midfield role. And if that's the case, Weatherstone could come back in.

"We've always got the option of Robbo in that role," said Lewis, who believes United are sometimes still too vulnerable to the counter-attack.

Fear has not featured in the last two games, but he could return to the bench.

"It looks on paper at least, as though this will be the toughest game I've had," Lewis said. "Notts County have done well this season and I know Craig Ramage - one Oxford United tried to get - is a quality player who can cause teams problems.

"But although they're a good team, we've got nothing to be frightened of and I'm sure we can get something from the game if we show the same spirit as last Saturday."

According to sources in Nottingham, former Derby County, Watford and Bradford star Ramage is the player that makes County tick. But they have struggled for goals lately, failing to score more than once in any match since October 16.

"We're not going to go anywhere until we score goals," said County boss Gary Brazil, who may include teenager Paul Heffernan among his substitutes after his spate of goals for the reserves and youth team.

One absentee from the Oxford United bench will be Andre Arendse who is with the South Africa squad for a friendly international against Sweden.

He will also be missing on Saturday when the U's play at Chesterfield, but Lewis, who would be very relkuctant to throw 16-year-old youth team keeper Phil Wilson into the fray, does have contingency plans should Lundin get injured.

"I've got a tray full of goalkeepers who we could get on loan," he said. "Hopefully, it won't be necessary."

GARY Megson, who has lost his job at Stoke following the Icelandic take-over, and Neil Warnock, who might lose his job at Bury if a proposed take-over there goes through, are the latest names being linked to the vacant manager's post at Oxford.

There is speculation that an announcement about Malcolm Shotton's successor, and about an off-the-field developmen

Story date: Wednesday 24 November

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