ASA Hall is frustrated he will be unable to ease Oxford United’s selection problems for the visit to GatesheadCHARD.

The U’s will struggle to fill the bench for the first round replay tonight night due to an injury pile-up.

Hall is fully fit, but is ineligible after parent club Shrewsbury Town turned down a request to allow the midfielder to play in the competition.

It means, as with the first meeting between the sides, the 26-year-old can only watch.

He said: “It’s frustrating and I’m sure it is for the gaffer as well because the squad is a bit thin at the moment.

“It’s a big game and it’s disappointing to be missing out.”

But with the Shrews losing 3-0 to Walsall in the first round, Hall believes he will be available if the U’s progress to the next stage.

He said: “Now Shrewsbury are out, there’s no reason they can hold me back.

“I don’t know if it’s automatic or not, but I’m sure I’d be able to play.”