Oxford City boss Mike Ford has thrown down a challenge to Josh Mulvany, Callum McNish and Zac McEachran – make me pick you for Saturday’s Blue Square Bet North trip to Histon.

The trio are included in a strong line-up for tonight’s quarter-final tie at home to Oxfordshire Senior League outfit Bletchingdon.

With Steve Basham (calf injury) and Liam Malone (ankle) out and Chris Willmott (cracked rib), Darren Pond (hamstring) and Andy Ballard (ankle) struggling for the county cup clash, Ford said it is the ideal opportunity for the trio to stake a claim.

“We’re will be playing a youngish team, but that would be the case if we were playing against Oxford United (in the cup),” said Ford.

“The type of opposition we are playing doesn’t affect how we approach the game – it will be as we do for any other competition.

“We have to make sure that we are professional.”

Ford said he was looking for a response from his side following their disppointing display in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat by Gloucester City.

He added: “I don’t think we were very good on Saturday.

“I thought we didn’t show enough discipline and we were a bit gung-ho at times.

“We have to be a lot wiser. We got it back to 1-1 and then gifted Gloucester the victory.

“This is an opportunity to show they can be disciplined.

“I will have selection problems for Saturday, so it’s a chance for people like McNish, Mulvany and McEachran for them to say to me ‘I want to be in the team on Saturday and want to be part of a Conference North club’.

“Tonight’s game is for individuals to try to force their way into my thoughts for Saturday.”

The draw for the semi-finals of the Senior Cup will be made at the Kassam Stadium on Saturday, February 23 following Oxford United’s npower League Two clash with York City.

Oxford City: from Ingram, Gunn, Stonehouse, Ballard, Learoyd, Willmott, Bell, Pond, Holgate, Barcelos, Mulvany, Cook, McNish, Stanley, Glass, McEachran.