Chris Willmott hailed the spirit that is taking Oxford United through to what looks set to be a thrilling climax to the season.

The 31-year-old defender, who has been in great form lately, was a key figure in the U’s 2-1 victory at Kettering on Thursday that took Chris Wilder’s team to within three points of the play-off places.

As well as netting the vital second goal, the former North-ampton defender played a big part in repelling the Poppies’ second-half comeback and ensuring they only left pointless, despite putting Oxford’s defence under pressure.

“We showed great spirit,” he said after the game. “We’re looking for the same again at Rushden on Tuesday now.

“It was a typical away game, on a bobbly pitch, and these are the kinds of games you have to show real character.

“At home, on the great playing surface at the Kassam Stadium, we can look to pass the ball around better and we feel very confident of winning in front of our home fans.

“But we’ve got a lot of confidence going away now, although you need other attributes in these games too.”

Willmott’s eighth-minute goal from Craig Nelthorpe’s corner at Rockingham Road was only his second of the season, his other coming in the heavy defeat at Histon last November.

“It was a great win. We’ve got eight games left and we’ve just got to get as many wins as we can, “ Willmott said.

“It was a great start getting the early goals and when they had the man sent off it looked even better for us.

“But they came back well in the second half and we were really pegged back.

“At the start of each season, I usually look to get five goals, so to have only two is a bit disappointing, but this one’s turned out to be the winner, so it was pretty important.

“I attacked the ball, and it nicked off the player in front of me and went in off my face – I didn’t know much about it.”

As a former Cobblers man, still living in Northampton, Willmott will be especially keen to see Oxford triumph at Rushden on what is likely to be another crunch night in the race for the play-offs – with Stevenage travelling to Histon that evening.

Before then, U’s boss Chris Wilder will spy on Diamonds at Salisbury today.

“Yes, I’m going down there, while Mickey Lewis has drawn the short straw, he’s going up to Wrexham (v Crawley),” Wilder chuckled.

GAMES THAT MATTER.

Today: Eastbourne v Burton, Northwich v Torquay, Weymouth v Kettering, Wrexham v Crawley.

Monday: Wrexham v Kidderminster.

Tuesday: Histon v Stevenage, Rushden v Oxford Utd, Torquay v Grays, York v Kettering.

Oxford United’s final away game of the season, at promotion-chasing Burton Albion, has been selected by Setanta for live TV coverage and moved to the Friday night.

The clash with the Brewers has been switched from Saturday April 18 to Friday April 17 (7.45).