Banbury United boss Billy Jeffrey is looking for fan power to help roar his relegation-threatened team to victory against BGB Southern League Premier Division play-off chasers Merthyr Tydfil at Spencer Stadium on Saturday.

When Jeffrey took over from Kieran Sullivan last month, the future looked bleak – but a terrific run, including three straight wins – has given themselves hope of escaping relegation.

Hundreds of Puritans fans attended the Bank Holiday Monday derby win, which saw Banbury move level on points with Hitchin and Rugby Town who stay out of the drop zone on goal difference.

“I thought our fans were brilliant at Brackley,” said Jeffrey.

“They sung their hearts out right from the start and my message to them is ‘please come back for the weekend game against Merthyr’.

“There is a very strong team spirit here – from the ladies serving the tea, right through to the players, the staff and everyone at the club. We all recognise that we’re in this together”

But they may have to do it without striker Howard Forinton who cracked two ribs in Monday’s win at Brackley Town.

Forinton is rated extremely doubtful for the Merthyr game though could be back for the Corby trip.

Jeffrey added: “The main problem with Howard was, apart from his broken ribs, that he could not talk or breathe.

“He had to go on morphine because he was in so much pain. The ambulance people were brilliant and we’dlike to thank all the officials at Brackley for their swift action.

“Howard is feeling a bit better, though he is a bit sore. Now he’s trying to come off the painkillers because he’s that desperate to play – that typifies the team spirit we have at Banbury.”

Jeffrey, who adds Scott Bridges to the squad, added: “We’re still alive and that is down to our terrific work-rate. I feel confident they will battle right to the end.

“Since I took over, I could not have asked any more of the players.”

Oxford City player boss Justin Merritt is looking to put one over on visitors Cambridge City and boost his side’s slim play-off chances.

When they last met, Cambridge won 1-0 with a 95th-minute own-goal and Merritt wants a win.

He said: “We have three games to go and I’m looking to win them all. There is an outside chance of making the play-offs and if it’s good enough, it’s good enough and if it isn’t then we know our shortcomings.

“Of the top sides, we have beaten Farnborough, Corby, Gloucester and Hemel, but we haven’t beaten Cambridge and we are looking to level it up.”

Didcot Town could be without defender Ian Sam-pson for their Division 1 South & West play-off bid after he suffered a knee injury while training with parent club Oxford United.

Boss Stuart Peace said: “It’s a big blow for us. Ian is going for a scan and then we’ll see how long he is out for.”

Striker Michael Bartley should return after a hamstring injury, while Andy Parrott should be back after a head injury.

Peace added: “We have three games left and Bridgwater have four. If they win their game in hand they will be two points behind us.

“The bottom line is we have to beat Slough and Thatcham, so it’s in our own hands. We have slipped and that’s because our players have not performed to a high enough standard on a regular basis.”

North Leigh welcome back Jordan Parker when they host Taunton.

He missed the Easter programme as he was touring in Holland with the Kidlington youth team.

Abingdon United travel to play-off contenders Beaconsfield. Saturday's line-ups Banbury Utd (v Merthyr Tydfil, home): from Murrell, Stringfellow, Stanbridge, Milner, Bennett, Redknap, Haisley, Blake, Stone, Forinton, Gordon, Gardner, Sam-brook, Scott Bridges, Buckwell, Bryan, Peppiatt. Oxford City (v Cambridge City, home): from Harrison, Clarke, Ballard, Gunn, Pond, Savage, Lyon, Fisher, Faulconbridge, Baird, Bell, Malone, Lambert, Faulkner, R Brooks, Benjamin. Didcot Tn (v Slough, home): from Watkins, Heapy, Powell, Williams, Brown, Mortimer-Jones, King, Os-bourne-Ricketts, Roach, Dutton-Black, Parrott, Bartley, Hopkins, McInnerny, Bruce, Buckner. Abingdon Utd (v Beaconsfield SYCOB, away): from Warrell, Janes, B Weedon, Peirson, Franklin, McCalmon, Austin, Beechers, Holden, Odhiambo, Biddle, Haysham, Mills, Carnell, Herbert, Booker. North Leigh (v Taunton, home): from Farrow, Sadler, Futcher, Hole, Huxley, Dodds, Collins, Helby, Hope, Reardon, Allen, Burnley, C Weedon, Butler.