Chris Wilder admits he is "disappointed" by the decision to deduct Oxford United five points, but says he hasn't given up hope that they can still push for a play-off place.

Oxford United's manager conceded he had mixed feelings about the Conference disciplinary panel's verdict in Birmingham on Monday.

He told me: “It's a bit in-between really. Disappoint-ment at these five points, but then it could have been a lot worse.

“We have won the last two games, so have got some momentum, and it's disappointing to have that knocked back.

“But we can't hide behind the fact that this has happened, and we've got to get on with it.

“Players, being players – or at least one or two of them – will maybe use it as an excuse.

“But the good thing from my point of view, if there is one, is that this will weedle them out.

“They are not the kind of players who will achieve, not the kind of players I want at the club, so if I see signs that any player is thinking like that, I'll soon act on it.

“I certainly won't be making excuses, or using it as an excuse.

“We will take every game on its merits and will try to win every game, to do everything possible to still try to reach them (the play-offs).”

The five-point deduction means United drop from 11th place to 14th in the Blue Square Premier, with Crawley Town's four-point penalty for a similar offence, dropping them out of the play-off places, from third to sixth.

Oxford would probably need something close to 47 points from their last 20 games to stand a chance of a top-five place at the end of April.

Alhough not impossible, that's a massive task.

Wilder says midfielder Eddie Hutchinson, the player who, through no fault of his own, has been at the centre of the registration trouble, will be involved against York City on Tuesday night, and is set to be in the starting line-up.

“He'll definitely be involved,” Wilder said.

“Supporters are not daft, they know it's nothing of his doing.

“Every one of them wants Oxford United players to do well and as long as he gives 100 per cent, as he has been doing, they'll respect him for that.

“Eddie's played in the last two games and we've won both of them, so he will start.”

And although this evening's action sees the U's take on Blue Square Premier rivals York City in the FA Trophy, rather than a league match, Wilder stresses it's an important match for the club.

“It's a big game for us,” he said.