OXFORD United's next opponents Bradford City have failed in a desperate late bid to get Saturday's crunch Division 1 match at Valley Parade switched to Sunday.

Bradford, who have moved up to second place in the table, believed they were at an unfair disadvantage this weekend because promotion rivals Ipswich don't play until the Sunday, when they face Birmingham in a live Sky match.

They appealed to the Football League to move the Oxford game back to 1pm on Sunday, the same time as the Ipswich match, but the League turned it down.

However, they went back to the League yesterday, appealing against that decision.

Oxford objected, secretary Mick Brown saying: "We were against the switch. It's not clear-cut.

"We discussed it with Malcolm Shotton and the feeling was that we need our players focussed on winning the match and not worried about what's happened the day before. We felt it wasn't in our interests to agree to play on the Sunday.

"Both sides should go out and try to do their best and see what happens. The Football League asked us if there were any circumstances in which we would agree to switch to Sunday, but we said 'no'." If Bradford win they will remain favourites to join Sunderland in the Premiership next season. Paul Jewell's team travel to Wolves on the final day of the season.

United's chances of staying up are very slim following last Saturday's home defeat by Norwich, but while there is hope, they will keep trying to do everything they can. United need to win their final two matches and must hope that rivals Bury, Crewe and Port Vale lose nearly all their remaining games.

United were offered just 300 tickets for Saturday's game which is expected to attract a near-capacity 15,500 gate, but this was rejected and they now have 600.

"They tried to give us 300 and we said that was totally unacceptable," said United ticket office manager Darren Bowler. "Six hundred is not ideal but it should just about cover our following."

Crewe did their chances of beating the drop the world of good last night with a 1-0 win over bottom club Bristol City thanks to a goal from Seth Johnson.

It moved them out of the bottom three and above QPR and Port Vale. Brian Horton's Vale remain in trouble after a 2-1 home defeat by Watford.

UNITED defender Mark Watson played the full 90 minutes, helping Canada to a 1-1 draw against Northern Ireland last night.

Story date: Wednesday 28 April

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