SAM Deering returns for Oxford United as they try to ensure they are not on the end of an FA Cup shock against Dorchester Town today.

And skipper Joe Burnell could be given a right back role again with Matt Day expected to be given the nod at centre half.

The U’s are looking for their sixth successive home win in all competitions, something they have not managed at the Kassam Stadium, but boss Darren Patterson will be warning his players that anything can happen in the Cup.

“If we create the chances that we created second half against Hayes & Yeading, and as we did on Tuesday with a scratch team, we’ve got a great chance,” he said.

“The key is to convert those chances more often.

“We’ve built this up as our Cup Final, because it is.

“We don’t want to be on the end of an upset and we’ve really got to focus on ourselves and getting our passing game together.

“We know if we get the ball down, we’ll create chances.

“The last time Dorchester played, they beat a top-four side away from home and played very well.

We need to get our name into the hat, it’s imperative we do so. And although I hope we play our passing game and some great football, I’d take an ugly 1-0 win.

“The FA Cup’s a magical competition, and I’ve had some fantastic times in it. “We’d love to be giantkillers ourselves but, first things first, we don’t want to be on the end of a giantkilling. We need to play well to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Deering missed Tuesday night’s Setanta Shield defeat with a knee injury, and Adam Murray was ill.

At the back, Day looks set to line up alongside Chris Willmott after he performed better there at Forest Green than Hutchinson.

Patterson said: “Sam Deering has trained, along with Adam Murray, but unfortunately Luke Foster and Barry Quinn will be out.

“We’ll see how Sam’s knee reacts in the morning but we hope he’ll play.”

United are hoping for a 3,000-plus crowd.

Oxford Utd: (from) Turley, Burnell, Willmott, Day, Carruthers, Deering, Murray, Trainer, Haldane, Constable, Guy, Odubade, Hinchliffe, Clarke, Hutchinson, Taylor, Groves, Dobson.

Dorchester Tn: (from) Stewart, Jermyn, Marsh-Brown, Clay, Liburd, Hill, Crittenden, Mudge, Moss, Fogden, Gleeson, Annan, Watts, Nicholson, Browne, Coward, Mitchell, Bowles.