Oxford led the League for most of the season, have never fallen below third place and it's only recently that they have started to falter but the points in the bag have kept them second behind Dagenham who, in turn, now seem to be doing 'an Oxford' and running away with the title.
We'll need to be on our toes to get anything from Oxford tomorrow night and luckily we should be able to do so with a full squad. Only Gary Hay is doubtful and he's a fringe player anyway.
Oxford lost at home on Saturday against our bogey team, Forest Green, with the visitors two goals being scored by Danny Carey-Bertram. Oxford's danger man Rob Duffy picked up his tenth booking of the season during the first half and was withdrawn from the game before half time with the U's boss, Jim Smith, seething about his star strikers attitude. Duffy will now be missing for the next two games after tomorrow evening.
Definitely missing for the hosts will be Steve Basham who injured his knee against Exeter City on New Years Day and, after coming back for one game, found there was still a problem and is now wearing a leg brace and will miss the remainder of the season.
Also missing will be Kristaps Grebis, also with a knee injury.
This is going to be a tough game for us and, with one eye on the 2nd leg of the Semi Final, we won't want to be getting any injuries. I think we'll make a go of this because Mark Yates has said that we still intend to get as high in the League as we can.
I'll be optimistic and go for a draw.
Teams:
Harriers from:
Bevan, S Taylor, Harkness, Kenna, Haworth, Creighton, Whitehead, McGrath, Sedgemore, Hurren, Russell, Penn, Reynolds, Blackwood, McGhee, Smikle, Christie, Constable, White, Hay.
Oxford from:
Tardif, Turley, Tucker, Anaclet, Johnson, Quinn, Willmott, Gilchrist, Pettefer, Hutchinson, Hargreaves, Burgess, Odubade, Duffy, Rose, Beechers, Brevett, Kennet, Gunn, Day, M Foster, Santos, Robinson, Coombes, Corcoran, L Foster, Fisher.
Links to Oxford websites 
