MARK Jones is hoping several of his Oxford City players can overcome a sickness bug in time for their crucial clash at home to fellow strugglers Concord Rangers.

A 2-0 defeat at Hemel Hempstead last weekend saw them drop below Concord to just one place off the foot of the Vanarama National League South table.

Top-scorer Matt Paterson, Eddie Jones and Zac McEachran have been struggling with illness.

The trio did not train on Tuesday, but Jones is hopeful they will be available.

He said: “There’s been a bit of illness in the camp the last couple of weeks.

“Matt didn’t train Tuesday, neither did Eddie Jones or Zac McEachran.

“Hopefully they will all be OK for tomorrow, because they’ve been really good for us in recent weeks.”

City’s defeat at Hemel was their ninth in 14 league games.

But Jones pointed to a number of issues which contributed to the result, not least losing both strikers – Paterson and Ezra Forde – at half-time.

Jones said: “I felt it was one of our poorer performances, but we weren’t helped by losing Matt and Ezra.

“We were much better in the second half, but conceded a poor second goal and missed a penalty.

“If that goes in, we might have got something from the game.”

Forde picked up a knee injury when he was clattered into advertising hoardings and is likely to miss out this weekend.

However, midfielder Mo Fofana has recovered from a hamstring strain.

Jones is in an upbeat mood, despite tomorrow being the proverbial six-pointer.

“I don’t want to say it’s a must-win game, but the players and I know the importance of it,” he said.

“Our home record has been better than our away form, and so we just need to stick together.

“One positive is for the first time this season, we have had a few options on the bench recently, which is really good.”

City have signed Ethan Lamptey on loan from Northampton Town.

The attacking midfielder goes straight into tomorrow’s squad.

TOMORROW’S TEAM

Oxford City (v Hemel Hstead Tn, away): from Stevens, Welch-Hayes, Poku, Navarro, Fofana, Oastler, Henderson, McEachran, Paterson, Sinclair, Pearce, Forde, Jones, Tutton, Khawaja, Fleet, Hirst, Grant, Lamptey.