Star striker James Constable says Oxford United’s players have got to be stronger, and get back to doing what they’re good at.

The U’s have slightly lost their way in the Blue Square Premier title race with a four-match winless run that has left them in third place.

And leaders Stevenage are likely to surge six points ahead of them by winning at bottom club Grays this evening, putting even more pressure on Oxford to win at Rushden on Wednesday night.

Eighteen-goal Constable, who was unlucky not to mark his return to the side with another goal at Tamworth on Sunday, said the players have got to raise their game.

“It’s down to us now, we’ve got to be a bit stronger,” he said. “We’ve got ten games – that’s still 30 points to play for– and it’s still wide open.

“We’ve got to stay calm. We’re not top any more, so maybe the pressure’s off us a bit and we can get back to playing good football.”

They did that in the opening 45 minutes at Tamworth, but couldn’t keep it going.

Constable added: “In the first half we did more of what we’re good at, getting it down the sides and cutting in. We created five or six chances, and on another day we [would have] come in 3-0 up.

“But we’ve got to be stronger in the second half and maybe we should stick to the same thing. Instead, we tried to force it a bit, played too many long balls, and with 6ft 4in and 6ft 2in centre halves, we played it onto their heads.

“Their keeper getting man of the match showed what type of game it was. Tamworth didn’t really try to play, they just made it difficult for us.

“We know what we can do, and what we’re capable of – and what’s got us to the top of the league for six or seven months.”

Constable was pleased that his left ankle held up and he was able to manage the entire 90 minutes.

“I couldn’t have wished for a better first 40 minutes,” he said. “I created chances and on a different day maybe three drop in, and that completely changes the day. But when you come up against a goalkeeping performance like that, it’s frustrating.

“I had the ankle taped through the warm-up and it was a little bit tight, so I took it off and risked it, and it held up all right.”

UNITED’S game at Rushden is no longer all-ticket and fans can pay cash at the turnstiles.