By JON MURRAY STRIKER Derek Lilley has urged Malcolm Shotton to put him back in the Oxford United side - because he feels he's just started to run into form.

The Scottish forward, signed on a free transfer from Leeds United in the summer, has looked sharp and lively in his last three appearances.

And after being dropped for the midweek Worthington Cup tie at Tranmere, where United lost 2-0, Lilley said: "It always takes time to settle into a club and get to know the way your new teammates play, but I feel I've got there now.

"I'm also getting into the habit of playing first-team football regularly again, which I haven't done for a while.

"The manager said he was leaving me out in the week because he wanted to make a tactical change, which is fair enough, but I was really disappointed because I thought we could get something, attacking-wise, from the game." Lilley looks set to return to the side at Brentford tomorrow, not least because the team played poorly at Prenton Park.

Steve Anthrobus missed training yesterday because his wife was ill, while Mark Watson has already definitely been ruled out again because of his heel injury.

Shotton faces several interesting selection dilemmas. Does he bring Paul Lundin back in after Andre Arendse's slip for Tranmere's second goal? Does he keep Paul Tait in midfield despite his irresponsible late sending-off? And if Shotton switches back to 4-4-2, which seems likely, who does he plump for in central defence out of Steve Davis, Les Robinson and Phil Whelan?

Said Lilley: "We need to start grinding out wins and draws in the league, and hopefully we can start on Saturday." Steve Jenkins or Dave Theobald will replace Hermann Hreidarsson in the Brentford defence after the latter's £2.5m move to Wimbledon.

United couldn't have it a lot tougher - Brentford are unbeaten for eight months!

Story date: Friday 15 October

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