OXFORD City must improve in front of goal if they are to upset hosts Hampton & Richmond Borough tomorrow, according to general manager Justin Merritt.

City have failed to score in four of their last five games in Vanarama National League South – something the boss is keen to put right this weekend.

“Our goalscoring record is poor at the moment and it does put pressure on the defence,” he said.

“The longer you go without scoring, the more of an issue it becomes for everyone.

“We’re not going out there and setting them up defensively – if anything, it’s the other way round.”

Mike Fondop, City’s top scorer with five goals, could return to the starting XI this weekend, after coming off the bench in their previous two matches.

Winger Shaun MacAuley could also return to face his former club following his recovery from a knee injury, but Kynan Isaac is out – also with a knee problem.

Captain Scott Davies is also absent as he serves the second match of a three-game suspension, having missed last week’s frustrating 1-0 defeat to Dartford.

But while City’s results remain frustratingly inconsistent, performances have been steadily improving.

And Merritt is confident his side have enough quality to haul themselves clear of the relegation zone.

“We’re improving gradually and the next step for them is about learning to accumulate points,” he said.

“Everyone’s in it together and there are a lot of things they’re doing right.

“We don’t want to abandon the way we play and get in a load of older heads who might steer us up the table short-term.

“That’s not what’s right in the long run for this club.”

TOMORROW’S SQUAD

Oxford City (v Hampton & Richmond Boro, away): from Stevens, Grant, Poku, Ashby, Henderson, Cundy, Fleet, Ofosu, Ngathe, Winters, Giles, Fondop, MacAuley, Roberts, Louis.