Oxford City are looking to banish the memory of their heaviest defeat for more than 40 years as they travel to Vanarama Conference North leaders AFC Fylde tomorrow, writes Matthew Bruce.

The Lancashire hosts hosts inflicted a brutal 8-1 thrashing on City when the two sides met at Marsh Lane in September.

But general manager Justin Merritt doesn’t believe his side will be affected by any lingering memories.

“We had some different players in the side then and it was a freak result,” he said.

“Several important members of our squad now weren’t at the club at the time, so it’s not on anyone’s mind.

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“We don’t dwell on the past, we just evaluate what we can do to improve from week to week. Our focus is only on the next game.”

Fylde have a five-point lead in the table and come into tomorrow on the back of an eight-match winning streak.

And with games against second-placed Barrow and fourth-placed Tamworth before the end of the month, Merritt admitted it will be a testing time for his side.

He added: “There are 12 teams vying for probably two spots in the play-offs and we’re one of them.

“We need to start beating teams around us and above us if we want to be up there at the end of the season.

“I’m not saying we’re going to beat Fylde. We’re aiming to beat them, but obviously they’ve not lost in a long time.

“We want to start another run and keep the positive res-ults coming and keep accumulating points towards our target for the end of the season.

“Hopefully, that will put us in the play-offs.”

City will be boosted by the return of defender Jose Lapoujade, who was unavailable for Tuesday’s FA Trophy second round replay defeat at Woking.

Mamadou Fofana and Shepherd Murombedzi both face fitness tests.

TOMORROW’S SQUAD

Oxford City (v AFC Fylde, away): from Salva, Scott, Del Alamo, Santiago, Lapoujade, Stonehouse, Pond, Rod-riguez, Winters, Yussuf, Barcelos, Wilson, Benjamin, Murombedzi, Pearson, Jackson, Fofana.

 

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