Oxford City Stars go into this weekend’s English National League South Division 1 double-header without key players.

Stars travel to Bracknell today to face the Hornets, while they host to Bristol Pitbulls tomorrow.

Normally, Stars would hope to have taken maximum points from two sides below them in the table.

However, for the Bracknell game, they will be without Alan Green, who will be serving a match ban after the dubious penalty he was awarded in the 6-2 defeat by Invicta last Sunday, and James Francis-Barrie, who is unavailable.

In addition, they are likely to be without Dale White, who sustained an injury during the game at Invicta, and Andrew Shurmer, who is unwell.

New import Damian Matla, who has experience of playing in defence, is likely to fill in.

Hornets have had a season much like Oxford’s. They have had some excellent results against some of the more fancied teams, but also lost some games they would have expected to win.

The team lost their coach part-way through the season, which could have had a detrimental impact.

However, since then the team have have hit a run of good form.

Meanwhile, Stars recently played Bristol in a very eventful game.

Oxford won and will hope to win again.

Green and White should return to the line-up, and will hope to contribute.