OXFORD United have received a major boost ahead of tomorrow's game against Burton with James Constable declaring himself fit.

The four-goal leading scorer missed Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Altrincham, and boss Darren Patterson is convinced United would have won, had the on-loan Shrewsbury and ex-Walsall and Kidderminster striker played.

"We missed him – both his bravery and ability to get on the end of things," Patterson said.

"I'm sure we would have won had he been able to play.

"Hopefully he's over this niggling problem he's had."

Constable said: "It's frustrating to be on the sidelines, especially with this sort of niggling injury, nothing too major.

"It was just a case of letting it rest and now getting back in and doing a job.

"I felt it just slightly in training, but once it gets warmed up it eases off, so it's a just a case of managing it, and hopefully it will hold up.

"I'm very ambitious and it disappoints me that I'm not up there with the rest of the main goalscorers in the division. I just want to get back in there, start scoring again and hopefully challenge them."

United's defeat at Altrincham ruined the hard work of beating Rushden and drawing at Torquay, but they want to keep up their recent improved home form, ahead of next week's FA Cup tie against Hayes & Yeading, because, with their financial troubles, this season a Cup run is vital to them.

"Every time we pick up a good win we seem to throw it away with a poor result so we need to put that to one side and get onto a good run of form," Constable said.

United have one slight worry over skipper Joe Burnell, who missed training yesterday, but is expected to be fit, against a Burton team, managed by Nigel Clough, who are a strong attacking side.

They moved into third place in the Blue Square Premier after Monday's televised 1-0 win over Mansfield.