JAMES Henry believes Oxford United will have left any rustiness behind them when they contest the Sky Bet League One play-offs.

The U’s have been back in training for just over a week after an enforced break of almost three months due to the coronavirus lockdown.

United have already faced hiccups since they returned, with two people testing positive for the virus and both planned friendlies against Championship sides called off.

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The first leg of their semi-final against Portsmouth is just 17 days away, but Henry has already seen enough to suggest the U’s will have blown away the cobwebs by then.

He said: “Most of us look fit and sharp and raring to go.

“We’ve got under three weeks until things kick off, so it’ll get progressively harder each day.

“We’ll be ready.”

The midfielder added: “It’s about getting that understanding, building those partnerships back up and being ready for July 3.”

United resumed training yesterday after recording no positive results in the latest round of testing on Sunday.

It meant Karl Robinson’s men played their first internal 11-a-side game since before the EFL season was suspended as they ramp up their preparations.

Today will be a similar story after the planned friendly with a second-tier side was called off.

The U’s were on a five-game winning run when the season stopped and Henry hopes United can channel that form against Portsmouth.

He said: “We were in such good form that we wanted to keep it going.

“We wanted to go up automatically, but that wasn’t to be.

“We’ve got a second chance in the play-offs and it’s about taking that and not letting this season go to waste.”

Robinson’s side finished fourth in League One – their highest placing since 1998/99 – after the overall positions were decided by the EFL’s unweighted points per game formula.

But the U’s boss knows they will be playing in a very different set of circumstances when they return to action.

He said: “The play-offs are going to be a case of ‘are you going to be a bit lucky?’

“This club has had its highest finish in a long time.

“We’ve had some fantastic games, some great cup runs and some wonderful moments that we’ll never forget.”