Very difficult – but not impossible.

That was the assessment of Oxford United manager Chris Wilder on the team’s chances of reaching the play-offs following this week’s contrasting games.

“We’re not out of it,” he insisted.

“I feel we need to win seven out of nine.

“You’ve got to get 68-70 points to get into the play-offs and unless we show a dramatic improvement in our consistency, we’re not going to do it.”

While the U’s have won two and lost two of their last four away, they have suffered two crippling defeats in their last two at home, against Hereford and Stevenage.

So they need to improve their home form, against a Crewe side, ironically, who are good at home and bad away.

Dario Gradi’s team have rattled off three straight wins in their last three at Gresty Road, including a fine 2-0 victory over table-topping Chesterfield last Saturday.

But they have lost an incredible seven successive away games since early January.

However, having played one game fewer than Oxford, they are slightly better placed to reach the play-offs, although it’s in-form Torquay who look to be the ones for everyone to catch.

Clayton Donaldson, who scored the opening goal against Chester-field, has had a fine season, and has already reached 20 goals this campaign.

His strike partner, Shaun Miller, who got the winner in Tuesday’s 1-0 triumph against Southend, has hit 16 goals.

Wilder says it’s a lack of consistency which has cost the U’s, and he feels frustrated because going forward at least – apart from against Stevenage on Tuesday – they have looked good enough.

But conceding goals every game often leaves them a mountain to climb.

“There were no guarantees at the start of the season that we would be in amongst the play-offs,” he said.

“You always set your stall out to do as well as you can.

“There’s no guarantees, but we’ve been close since Christmas and we’ve shown on numerous occasions we can handle it.

“But on the flip side, the consistency levels – as everyone has seen – are not what they should be to be a successful side in this league.

“So we have to look at that; have we got what it takes to be successful, week in, week out?

“A prime example was the Stock-port game. It was a poor pitch, no doubt about it.

“But Chesterfield go one up there, and with the experience they have, they see it out and possibly go on to score two or three with Davies and Lester scoring on the break.

“There have been countless games we’ve lost and should have drawn, and drawn where we should have won, and even games we’ve lost that we should have won.

“That comes with consistency and a bit of quality – which is what we need.”