Oxford United will discover in 60 minutes if they have lost 11 points for playing an unregistered player.

The club's appeal hearing against the Football Conference's penalty has finished after two hours and is now being considered by the panel.

It is expected to give its ruling at 3pm.

Asked if he felt the delay in announcing its decision was a positive for Oxford, United chairman Kelvin Thomas said: "It might be.

"We will just have to wait and see."

United were charged with fielding an ineligible player, Eddie Hutchinson, because he was not correctly registered to play in the Conference earlier this season.

But the club say they sent the relevant paperwork to the Conference in August but did not then check it had been received.

The 11 points relate to those earned by Oxford with Hutchinson on the pitch before the problem was discovered.

If the points deduction stands, it would send Oxford into the relegation zone.

The result will be posted on oxfordmail.co.uk as soon as it is announced.