Ben Purkiss is hoping Oxford United win a few more games when he is in the team this time!

The former York City player returns to the side at Gillingham today because Damian Batt starts a three-match suspension, following his red card at Southend.

There was not too much wrong with Purkiss’s performance levels in the 16 starts he made earlier in the season.

But with him in the team, the U’s won 4, drew 3 and lost 9.

Batt too has started exactly 16 games this season, and Oxford’s record when he has done so is won 8, drawn 3, lost 5.

But he would be the first to admit he has benefitted from Steve MacLean’s arrival and much higher confidence throughout the players.

“I remember some months ago Damian breaking his ankle,” Purkiss said.

“I’d been waiting patiently for an opportunity, got one, thought I’d done all right and then results obviously weren’t quite good enough, so the manager had a little reshuffle and then the results started going OK.

“So it’s another opportunity for me, we just need to win games.”

Had he felt aggrieved then, dropping out of the team last time?

“Disappointed really. You do reflect on your own performances, and I think I’m my own biggest critic. I try to reflect fairly on my own performances.

“I felt I was pretty consistent in the games that I played as an individual, I watched the Football League Show and didn’t see many (goals) coming in from my side, and going forward saw quite a few going in from my side as well!

“But, at the end of the day, when the team’s not getting results, the manager’s forced to look for other options to change it up, he brought in a few other players.

“And the game where it all seemed to change – against Chesterfield – I obviously wasn’t involved.

“That’s how it is, that’s football.

“You sit, you work hard, you wait for another chance. I got one at home to Southend, after some good training, probably the best I’d done in training the whole year, and then, for whatever reason, it didn’t click, for everyone as a collective.

“And, to be fair, Damian’s been doing well, putting in some good performances.”

One other change tenth-placed United look likely to make is Simon Clist returning to midfield. He was rested at Southend, coming off the bench in the second half.

Gillingham boss Andy Hessenthaler said: “If we are going to be in the mix, it’s up to us in the next few games."

Gillingham: (from) Julian, Fuller, Gowling, Lawrence, Nutter, Bentley, Maher, Jackman, Martin, McDonald, Akinfenwa, Cronin, Weston, Richards, Rooney, Oli, J Payne, S Payne, Miller.

Oxford Utd: (from) Clarke, Purkiss, Worley, Wright, Tonkin, Heslop, McLaren, Clist, MacLean, Constable, Craddock, Hall, Potter, Hackney, Sangare, Midson, Eastwood, Payne, Deering, Kinniburgh.