Assistant manager Mike Ford says Oxford City have to show their mettle and not play “like a bunch of children” when they travel to his old side Bedford Town in the British Gas Business Southern League Premier Division on Tuesday night.

It follows Saturday’s shock defeat at Bashley where City squandered a 2-0 lead before going down 3-2.

“We didn’t throw it away a bit, we threw it away massively,” said a disappointed Ford.

“We got ourselves into a position to win the game and when the time came to show some courage, we failed dismally.

“The players have to realise that we are still in a fantastic position to make the play-offs.

“The question myself and Justin (Merritt) would pose to them is ‘do you want to be a player in Conference South next season or stay in the Southern League?’ “Because the way some of them played on Saturday, they seem to want to stay in the comfort zone of the Southern League.

“When we needed them to show that nerve, we played like a bunch of children.

“We will defend the players most of the time because they are young – not this time.

“It’s frustrating because we know what they can produce.

“We have beaten the top side on their own patch. There seems to be a link between our performances when we play the top teams and teams near the bottom. It might be a mental thing.”

Ford added: “I got promotion with them (Bedford) and had a very successful time there. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

“I saw them play on Sunday at Merthyr (they lost 3-0) and they were poor.

“But I don’t expect them to be that bad again. They will come out fighting.

“The top four are getting away, but the three teams above us all lost and we have got a fantastic opportunity.

“The players have been brilliant since December and it’s now up to them. We now have got to stand up and be men.”

City welcome back striker Andy Baird from suspension.

Didcot Town give a late test to Martin Brown ahead of their Division 1 South & West home game against Bracknell.

The defender suffered concussion following a clash of heads during their 5-0 win at Andover on Saturday – their ninth away from home.

Now Didcot have to get it right at Loop Meadow Stadium where they have won eight of their 16 league games.

North Leigh youngster Ben Sadler keeps his place when they host Beaconsfield SYCOB, looking to avenge the 4-3 defeat they suffered earlier in the season.

Called up late after Chris Weedon pulled out due to illness, Sadler excelled in his place.

Goalkeeper Lee Farrow also starts after replacing Chris Herbert after the latter’s registration didn’t come through.

Abingdon United face the long trip to Bridgwater in the same division.

TUESDAY NIGHT'S SQUADS

Oxford City (v Bedford, away): from Harrison, Lambert, Clarke, Gunn, Pond, Ballard, Savage, Malone, Faulconbridge, Fisher, Bell, Benjamin, Davis, Faulkner, Brooks, Merritt.

Didcot Tn (v Bracknell, home): from Watkins, Heapy, Powell, Williams, Brown, Mortimer-Jones, Sampson, King, Bartley, Parrott, Dutton-Black, John, Harper, Roach.

North Leigh (v Beaconsfield SYCOB, home): from Farrow, Sadler, Helby, Parker, Huxley, Dodds, Reardon, Burnell, Hope, McCabe, Allen, Collins, Butler, Merriman.

Abingdon Utd (v Bridgwater, away): from Warrell, Burton, Weedon, Peirson, Organ, Biddle, Austin, Herbert, Holden, Beechers, Janes, McCalmon, Odhiambo, Haysham, Franklin.