Evo-Stik Southern League

OXFORD City manager Mike Ford is blocking out all thoughts of automatic promotion ahead of the Easter weekend’s Premier Division double-header.

City’s 1-0 victory at Chippenham Town on Saturday lifted them to second spot, just four points behind leaders Brackley Town with a game in hand.

This was City’s third win in a row and they will be hoping to extend the sequence at home to promotion rivals Cambridge City tomorrow and away to relegation strugglers Hemel Hempstead Town on Monday.

“We’re not thinking beyond the Cambridge game,” said Ford.

“If you look further ahead you’re in danger of losing concentration on the next task in hand.

“There are no easy games at this time of the season.

“In any case, we owe Cambridge one.

“We lost 2-0 over there in one of our poorest performances of the season.”

Ford praised former Oxford United star Steve Basham, whom he feels is a great asset “Steve’s very honest and works so hard for the team, and must be one of the best strikers at this level.”

Ford has named an unchanged squad for the Cambridge match, following the success at Chippenham, which was secured by Aaron Woodley’s goal.

“The key to the season is that we’ve put good runs together after suffering a defeat,” added Ford, who will be looking for his side’s fourth successive win tomorrow.

Banbury United, struggling to stay above the drop zone, face what boss Ady Fuller calls “two massive matches.”

His side travel to Bedford Town tomorrow and then host leaders Brackley Town in a crunch derby clash on Monday.

Banbury snatched a valuable 2-2 draw against Frome last Saturday, when striker Ricky Johnson came off the bench to score a late equaliser.

“It’s the first time Ricky has been on the subs’ bench since he joined us,” said Fuller.

“Sometimes it’s good to give players – especially strikers – a spell there in the hope that they will do a little bit more when they return.”

With the veteran Howard Forinton his first-choice up front, Fuller has some striking options.

However, he is more concerned about their defending.

“We’ve got to stop giving away silly goals,” he said.

“Now it’s about being mentally strong at both ends of the field.”

Striker Danny Edmond, who has recovered from a back injury, is added to Banbury’s squad for the Bedford game.

TOMORROW’S LINE-UPS

Oxford City (v Cambridge Utd, home): from Mooney, Clarke, Blossom, Ballard, Pond, Willmott, Benjamin, Learoyd, Basham, Barcelos, Issac, Lyon, Woodley, Martin, Bell, McCloughlin.

Banbury Utd (v Bedford Tn, away): from Kemp, Thackeray, Kinch, Dolman, Chilton, Coleman, Howell, Cole, Johnson, Forinton, Williams, Blake, Polk, Angus, Richardson.