Chris Wilder looks set to name a very strong line-up for Oxford United’s FA Trophy second-round tie against Woking at the Kassam Stadium tonight.
He hopes to give senior players the chance to regain their match sharpness, and get the team back in winning mode after their shock 1-0 home league defeat by Tamworth on Saturday.
Tonight is the third time of asking, the game twice being postponed because of a frozen pitch last week.
The winners will be away to Chelmsford City in the third round after last night’s 2-1 win against Crawley Town.
Wilder says Ryan Clarke will continue in goal, while he hinted Rhys Day will play.
Damian Batt is suspended and there is an enforced change at left back, with Anthony Tonkin cup-tied. Kevin Sandwith will probably come back into the side.
Batt has received a one-game ban for his two-yellow-card dismissal at the weekend and, ironically, it may work in United’s favour because he was on eight yellow cards going into the match, and the two yellows have been wiped clean because of the red. So he misses just this Trophy tie.
United play a friendly against Brentford reserves at the Bees’ training ground tomorrow, and Wilder says the squad (barring Luke Foster) will play a part in one of the two games.
Chairman, Kelvin Thomas, said: “We’ve always said it’s how we react to a loss.
“Both times before Saturday, at Mansfield and at Kidderminster, we then went on good runs. This is a chance to get back on a winning track.”
Should the game be drawn the replay would be next Tuesday, meaning home league game against Cambridge United would be postponed.
But Woking, going well in Blue Square South, should not be under-estimated.
Oxford Utd: (from) Clarke, Day, Creighton, Wright, Sandwith, Bulman, Murray, Clist, Potter, Constable, F Green, Turley, M Green, Midson, Chapman, Deering, Cook, Fowler.
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