Phil Gray is out for the rest of the season as he undergoes surgery on his troublesome knee injury.

Oxford United's Northern Ireland international striker has been playing with the injury for a number of weeks, but now needs an operation.

Phil Gray is having surgery on his knee today

Another blow for United boss David Kemp is that central defender Jon Richardson could also miss the remaining three matches with the injury he picked up while scoring the first goal in last Saturday's 6-2 defeat at Bristol Rovers.

It means that one of Jamie Brooks or Simon King look set to start in tomorrow's bottom-of-the-table clash with Swansea at the Manor.

"Phil Gray is definitely out for the season, he starts surgery on his knee today," Kemp said last night.

"Jon Richardson also has no chance of making it for the weekend. There is a slight chance he might be back for the Notts County match, but knowing the bad luck at this club, he won't be."

Kemp says the number of games that the same players are having to play has reached a ridiculous level, and everyone is forced to do minimal training in order to stay fit.

"We've simply run out of gas," Kemp admitted. "It's the same players having to play each week, and they are knackered.

"We're trying to do as little work with them as possible to try and avoid picking up any other knocks.

"We are forced to bring in Brooks and King to the squad for Swansea, and I'd have thought that one, possibly both, will start - they're going to have to with the injuries we've got here.

"It's obviously good for them, but ideally you want to play your best younger players when you want to and are not forced into things."

Kemp is still no closer to bringing in an on-loan goalkeeper for the final match of the season, when regular No 1 Richard Knight is suspended, leaving youth player Phil Wilson as the only keeper on the books.

"The chairman has been away, and I'll speak to Bill Smith (director) on Monday when he gets back, but we must have a keeper. I saw this problem coming."

Meanwhile, Wycombe Wanderers eased their Division 2 relegation fears with a 2-0 win at Notts County last night - their first victory since their FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool.