Oxford United are boosted by the return of Phil Gilchrist and Andy Burgess for Saturday's Nationwide Conference game at home to York.

Gilchrist has missed two games with an Achilles problem while Burgess missed last Saturday's 1-0 win at Stafford through illness.

U's boss Jim Smith says both will go straight back into the team now they are fit and well.

"Both players have trained and will go straight back into the starting 11," he said.

"The only doubt we have is over Rufus Brevett, who landed awkwardly at Stafford and has been having treat- ment, but we have Matt Day, who we know can do a good job in that left wingback role as well."

Rob Duffy and Steve Basham look set to continue up front, with Yemi Odubade on the bench.

Oxford are out to make it 12 games unbeaten, but York, managed by Billy McEwan - who was reserve team coach under Smith at Derby - are a dangerous outfit away from home, with four wins out of five.

York also have the best record in the league against teams in the top half of the table.

Several York players and members of their coaching staff have been laid low by bugs in the last couple of weeks and others are carrying knocks.

Striker Craig Farrell, who finally got off the mark for the first time against Southport last weekend, has been off for three days this week and could be a doubt. James Dudgeon - who could return - has also been struggling.

But McEwan still expects his side to be battling for every ball at the league leaders and won't be accepting any excuses.

He said: "We've got a few germs flying about, but at the end of the day, I played some games when I was only 70 per cent and others at 80 per cent - but I wanted to play.

"My wife insisted I played because we needed the money to buy shoes for the kids.

"There's no player that goes out there 100 per cent fit. There's always a little niggle or something.

"But we are talking about men here, we're not talking about kids. You've got to ask yourself are you a man or a mouse?

"The important thing is how you can cope with things if you're not feeling too good."

Oxford Utd: (from) Turley, Anaclet, Willmott, Quinn, Gilchrist, Brevett, Pettefer, Hargreaves, Burgess, Basham, Duffy, Day, Odubade, Dempster, Tardif, Kennet, Gunn.

York City: (probable) Evans, Craddock, Parslow, Dudgeon, Lloyd, Bishop, Panther, Bowey Woolford, Donaldson, Farrell. Subs: McMahon, Reid, Convery, Peat, Webster.