Oxford United will have an all-new striking partnership at Cambridge tonight as they go for the win they need to ensure the long-time leaders stay top of the Nationwide Conference beyond the weekend.

Three draws from their last four games - while rivals Dagenham & Redbridge have accumulated 12 points - means Oxford's lead has been drastically reduced.

And with Rob Duffy suspended for picking up his fifth booking of the season when he bagged a hat-trick in the 5-1 win at Forest Green, it's likely to be Steve Basham and Yemi Odubade in harness up front at the Abbey Stadium.

The two have not started together as a pair up front under Jim Smith, although they were together, alongside Tim Sills, in two of the three games during Darren Patterson's caretaker stewardship in March.

Duffy's absence puts an extra onus on Basham.

The U's missed Basham's clever hold-up play against Altrincham last Saturday.

But he has sometimes been coming so deep that there's no-one in the box to get on the end of the crosses when they come in, and he needs to get into positions to fire in shots at goal as well as releasing the lightning-quick Odubade.

The three recent draws United have had mean they will not settle for a point at the Abbey Stadium.

Said defender Matt Day: "Cambridge as the home side will want to beat us, the top-of-the-league team.

"But we've got to pick ourselves back up after Altrincham, move on and get back on that winning trail because Dagenham are closing in very quickly, and they're not slipping up. They keep carrying on with the wins."

He added: "You have to be conscious of what's going on behind you, but our main focus is to keep staying at the top. We just need to get on a winning track again because the lads are starting to draw a couple, which is not good enough for us."

New Cambridge manager Jimmy Quinn has turned the club around after they made their worst start to a season for 76 years, with just one point from the first six games.

That dismal record led, not surprisingly, to Rob Newman getting the push, and since Quinn's arrival Cambridge have chalked up three wins to climb away from the bottom four.

However, a 2-1 defeat at home to Crawley last Saturday was a wretched performance, by all accounts, and Oxford need to be wary of a backlash.

Centre back Chris Willmott warned: "Cambridge losing at home last week can work two ways. It can affect their confidence a bit, or - and if it was us this would be how we would feel - it can make them even more determined to put on a good show in front of their own fans."

Two former Oxford United players, from the Graham Rix era, are key players at the Abbey Stadium.

Midfielder Rob Wolleaston, 26, has been made club captain.

The former Chelsea player was with Cambridge last season, scoring three times in 13 games.

He trained at the Abbey in the summer and returned to Cambridge after exploring his options in the USA. He has made 15 appearances so far this season.

Courtney Pitt is the other former United player they will be up against tonight.

The left winger, who was a disaster in his short time at the Kassam Stadium, played against Oxford when he was at Boston two seasons ago.

He has already played 14 games this campaign, but was subbed 20 minutes from the end against Crawley.

Quinn could give a recall to experienced centre half and former captain Andy Duncan, who has been out since March following an Achilles oper- ation.

He returned in pre-season, but then tore a thigh muscle.

Duncan played for an hour in a friendly against Brain- tree on Monday, and with Mark Peters and Adam Davis injured, could be thrown in against the U's.