Oxford City striker Lee Steele says he may have to put his plans to retiretire at the end of the season on hold after putting his hamstring problems behind him.

And now Steele, 37, wants to use his new-found fitness to fire City to safety, starting with Saturday's trip to Hemel Hempstead Town.

On Tuesday, Steele took his league goals tally to eight since he returned to Court Place Farm for a second spell in November with a double in their 3-1 comeback victory against Tiverton Town.

The result moved City six points clear of the relegation places “There is no secret about my hamstring problems,” said Steele, who travels down to every game from his home in Liverpool.

“But we seemed to have nipped it in the bud. I went to Lilleshall and the physio diagnosed it and told me how to manage it.

“I’m running for the first time in ages and I’m pain-free, so I may have to have a blast next season.

“Mike Ford (City’s boss) has been very good and allowed me to train up here, because training and playing down here would kill me.”

Steele says he is very optimistic that City can beat the drop.

He added: “We will not go down and you can put that on record, but we just need to keep it going.

“We’ve got eight games to go and we need two or three wins.”

City will be without Savage, who is away in Ireland.

Oxford City (v Hemel Hempstead Tn, away): from White, Blossom, Clarke, Ballard, Malone, Lyon, Barcelos, Steele, Martin, Peirson, Hughes, Anderson, Isaac.

l Banbury United are without a game due to the demise of Windsor & Eton.