KEMAR Roofe says he will have no hesitation to play through the pain as Oxford United count their walking wounded ahead of the trip to Exeter City tonight (7.45).

Yesterday morning only 13 fit senior professionals reported for training, with several knocks to unnamed players sustained over the weekend.

Although a couple of doubts may clear up in time to play the Grecians, United will not be at full strength as they look for a response to back-to-back home defeats.

A tight groin has seen Roofe withdrawn in two of the last three games, but the side’s top scorer is happy to play on if the club’s medical staff give him the green light.

He said: “It affects me a bit, just sprinting and being as sharp is difficult.

“But it’s part of football.

"You’re going to get niggles and you’re never 100 per cent, so you just have to play through it.

"The gaffer is in control and selecting the team, so if he wants me to play I’m going to play.

"If he believes I shouldn’t be playing then it’s his decision and I will support it. I’m a team player."

Successive defeats have raised concerns over United’s promotion challenge, but Roofe remains calm.

He said: “All that matters is what happens in-house and we’re not panicking, that’s the main thing.

“We’re still confident and we have the belief in ourselves to do the job.

"I don’t think anyone could put a name on who is going to get promoted now.

"You’d say Northampton are the favourites, but apart from that everyone is still in the mix and fighting for every point.

"Naturally if people do look at the table it could make them nervous because they’re over-thinking, but we’re not looking at it.

"There’s no need, we’re just focusing on the next game and the structure we have with meeting certain targets."

Despite the injury problems U’s boss Michael Appleton expects to be able to name a strong XI, although the back-up is likely to be very youthful.

He said: “There may be one or two that surprise me over the next 24 hours and are OK.

“But there might have to be one or two of the younger lads who haven’t featured at all this season on the bench.”

He added: "The reality is we’re down to the bare bones, but it’s here to test you.

"From the XI point of view I’m reasonably convinced we can be as strong as we can possibly be.

"Beyond that there might be a bit of a question mark."

A run of three wins in 11 games has seen Exeter slip to 14th in the table.

Christian Ribeiro (concussion) and David Noble (calf) are expected to miss out, along with ex-U’s striker Will Hoskins, who has not featured for five weeks.

LINE-UPS

Exeter City: Olejnik, Davies, Brown, MooreTaylor, McAllister, Grant, Oakley, Tillson, Holmes, Stockley, Wheeler, Nicholls, Reid, Morrison, Taylor, Woodman, Butterfield, Harley, Hamon.

Oxford Utd: from Buchel, Kenny, Mullins, Dunkley, Skarz, O’Dowda, Sercombe, Lundstram, Maguire, Hylton, Roofe, Bowery, Ismail, MacDonald, George, Ruffels, Ashby, Long, Hawtin, Carroll, Slocombe.