Mark Creighton is warning his Oxford United teammates to be wary of lowly Grays at the Kassam Stadium today.

The league leaders are hoping to continue their fine home form – six wins and a draw from seven games – against the19th-placed Essex side, now managed by Julian Dicks.

Oxford are 1-4 with bookmakers to win the match, with Grays a huge 10-1. The draw is 4-1.

But centre half Creighton says every opposing side wants to make a name for themselves by toppling the U’s.

“They’ll come to our place and the occasion will lift them because we’re top of the league and everyone wants to shoot us down,” he said.

“The way Barrow celebrated after the game last Saturday, it was like they’d won the league, and the same when Mansfield beat us – it was almost as if they’d won the FA Cup.

“We’ve got to be prepared for that.”

United’s record of just three goals conceded at home, and only ten goals conceded in 15 matches all told, is the best in the division, and Creighton believes being mean at the back is vital if United are to remain in front of the pack.

“It’s not just about the defenders defending, it starts up front, and the lads in the middle have to work their nuts off for us as well.

“We can’t just expect to defend for 90 minutes in a game because you will concede goals if you do that. All the lads help us out to keep clean sheets.”

Oxford can extend their lead at the top to nine points with victory today because second-placed Kettering’s game against Wrexham has been postponed, due to the Welsh club’s international call-ups.

But Creighton will be just happy to see United triumph, even if it’s just by a single goal.

“For me, 1-0 wins are the best wins,” he said. “If we keep a clean sheet, we’ll win games because we’ve got that much firepower.”

Manager Chris Wilder is not expected to make many changes, with Adam Chapman hoping to keep his place at right back ahead of former Grays defender Damian Batt.

Grays defender Anwar Uddin’s loan spell from Dagenham & Redbridge has been extended, so he continues.

But striking duo Lee McEvilly and Adriano Rigoglioso are ruled out with long-term injuries.

Oxford Utd: (from) Clarke, Chapman, Creighton, Foster, Kinniburgh, Bulman, Murray, Clist, Green, Constable, Cook, Midson, Turley, Batt, Sandwith, Perry, Day, Rhodes.

Grays Ath: (from) Edwards, Mawer, Hoyte, Uddin, Braham-Barrett, Davis, Vernazza, Robson, Poole, Graham, Charge, Slabber, Taylor, Cutler, Beavan, Rnkovic.

  • CHRIS Wilder has raised £250 for Sobell House by auctioning off the bottle of champagne he will today be presented with for winning September’s Manager of the Month award.