SKRILL NORTH

Mike Ford could turn to a mixture of youth and experience as Oxford City look to recover from last week’s disappointing FA Carlsberg Trophy defeat when they visit Guiseley tomorrow, writes MATTHEW BRUCE.

City’s manager has recalled experienced midfielder Andy Ballard from his loan spell with Calor League side Burnham as well as teenage midfielder Zac McEachran from Oxford City Nomads.

“Obviously we’ve got Ballard back earlier than we were expecting and we just have to make the most of that,” said Ford.

“He’s in better physical condition than when he left us and he looks a lot fitter, he’s got no problems with his ankle.

“I need good footballers around the club and anyone who has seen McEachran play will tell you that he is a very good footballer.

“He’s perhaps found the Nomads a little bit too easy this season; he won’t find Conference North too easy, but he can play.

“I’m confident he can do it at this level.”

City are now out of all national cup competitions after unceremoniously exiting the Trophy at the hands of Ryman League Hendon on Sunday, but Ford admitted he was glad to be able to focus fully on league survival.

He said: “The league games have taken up so much of our attention lately that perhaps we’ve not really paid enough attention to those cup games.

”But we’ve got no distractions now, so we can concentrate fully on trying to push on up the table.

“What’s happened before is gone, we can’t change that, so what we’ve got to do is push forward now for the rest of the season.

“It’s a fresh start now and we’re all really looking forward to it.”

City are still without injured striker Steve Basham, but will be boosted by the return of on-loan forward Kayden Jackson, who has scored three goals in as many appearances, but was cup-tied for the trip to Hendon.

Oxford City: from Francoz, Benjamin, Stonehouse, Malone, Willmott, Henderson, Learoyd, Ballard, Palmer, Pond, McEachran, Symons, Winters, Cook, Pook, McNish, Robinson, Jackson, Scott.