OXFORD City boss Justin Merritt believes he may have found his favoured attacking partnership in Jefferson Louis and Mike Fondop.

City entertain Vanarama National League South basement side Bishop’s Stortford tomorrow looking to build on last week’s shock 1-0 win over high-flying Hampton & Richmond Borough.

It was only the second time Fondop, who set up Tom Winters’ winning goal, and Louis have started together.

The first was an impressive 3-1 win at Poole Town on Louis’s debut, but Fondop has since spent time on the bench following a traffic incident on his way to a game at the end of last month.

Merritt said: “Jefferson has done well in the four games since he came here.

“It’s just unfortunate that Mike’s car accident meant he’s been out of the team

“He’s very raw, but he brings a real threat that we’ve otherwise lacked and I’m excited to see what those two can do.”

City’s form in front of goal remains a concern, with just 14 goals scored in 17 league games, but defensively they have improved immensely.

It took City 17 matches to claim their first clean sheet of the season, but after recording another shutout last week they have now conceded just three times in their last five games.

“We’ve improved a lot defensively in recent weeks,” Merritt said.

“It makes us much harder to beat and it means we don’t have to score two or three goals to win a game.”

Merritt is now eyeing back-to-back victories for the first time this season as his side look to distance themselves from the relegation scrap.

“We’ve got two games coming up against sides around us in the table (Bishop’s Stortford and Margate) and we’re looking for two wins from those games,” he said.

“We’ve been in this position before after a good result and failed to back it up, so it’s important we do it this time.”

Captain Scott Davies completes his three-match suspension this weekend, while Kynan Isaac also misses out with a knee injury.

TOMORROW’S SQUAD

Oxford City (v Bishop’s Stortford, home): from Stevens, Grant, Poku, Ashby, Henderson, Cundy, Fleet, Ofosu, Ngathe, Winters, Giles, Fondop, MacAuley, Roberts, Louis.