NEW dad Chris Willmott goes straight back into the Oxford United line-up as Jim Smith's side get back on the promotion trail against Aldershot today.

Willmott will slot into the back three in place of the suspended Matt Day as the U's try to forget last week's FA Cup win at Dagenham and next week's tie at Wycombe Wanderers to pick up a crucial three points.

Willmott missed the win over Dagenham & Redbridge after getting a phone call to say that his partner had gone into labour.

Although he rushed back to find that it was a false alarm, Willmott and his partner, Denise, did have a baby boy, George, on Monday.

Day picked up his fifth booking of the season last week and sits out a one-match ban.

Smith knows that in front of one of the all-time highest Conference gates, his team need to turn on a good performance.

"Although we are on a superb run and things are going so well for us, if I am being critical then our home form has been the one thing that has let us down," he said.

"We have produced decent performances, but have not scored and that has meant that we have dropped some points at home that we shouldn't have done.

"Hopefully everything will come right for us and we can get back to winning ways.

"Having said that, I know that Aldershot - like every other club in the league - will be determined to knock us down and end this unbeaten run so we must do everything properly."

Eddie Hutchinson, who this week rejected a loan move to Port Vale, is likely to be among the substitutes.

Rob Duffy and Steve Basham are again expected to again lead the United front line.

Aldershot manager Terry Brown has come under pressure at the Recreation Ground after a dramatic dip in form.

Brown's side were sitting third in the table after eight games, but now find themselves down in tenth place.

They have picked up just eight points from their last nine games, but have a near full-strength squad to choose from.

Defender Rhys Day came through a Hampshire Cup match in midweek and could start after recovering from an ankle injury.

Marcus Gayle is expected to partner in-form Joel Grant in attack, but Mark Pritchard (knee) is out.

"The opportunity for us to be the first side to beat Oxford is mouth-watering," Brown said.

"I am sure that the players will be keen to achieve that - it is what you train for.

"It's alright saying that Oxford are the biggest club in the Conference with the biggest gates, but that also brings the biggest pressure too.

"Jim is long enough in the tooth to know that whilst success this season is to get back into the Football League, it is not over yet".