OXFORD United boss Chris Wilder says he’s been in the game long enough to know that management isn’t all a bed of roses.

And well though the team are going at the moment in the Blue Square Premier, with seven wins and a draw from their last eight games, he is fully prepared for a jolt.

“People have been saying a lot of complimentary things about me, which is all very nice of course,” he said.

“But I’ve been in the game long enough to know there’s a fall round the corner.

“I’m only two months into it here and there’s a hell of a lot of work still to be done.”

Wilder is concentrating this week on trying to ensure that it’s not Mansfield Town, their next opponents at the Kassam Stadium on Saturday, who bring them down to earth with a bump.

United’s run of home games, and home wins, is phenomenal.

With so many away games called off, for a variety of reasons, it means that, after they have played Torquay United at the Kassam Stadium on Saturday week – seven days after taking on Mansfield – Wilder’s new-look Oxford team will have played nine of their last 11 matches at home.

It’s normally hard to win successive home games, let alone six in a row, as the U’s have managed since Christmas.

But with his emphasis on a strong team ethic, and with the players’ confidence now very high, they believe they can beat anyone in the division in front of their own supporters.

Wilder’s signings have all fitted in well so far.

Simon Clist, the most recent capture, had what seemed a quietish debut against Barrow, but the former Forest Green midfielder still passed the ball beautifully and hardly ever gave possession away.

Wilder said: “Clist kept it rolling. He sat in a great position and kept it simple and kept it moving.

“He’s a team man, he wins his tackles and gets in positions to start playing, so I was very happy with him.”

Oxford United’s next six games Feb 21 Mansfield (H) Feb 28 Torquay Utd (H) Mar 3 Eastbourne Boro (a) Mar 7 Forest Green Rovers (a) Mar 14 Grays Ath (H) Mar 21 Rushden (a)