JIM Smith is certain that his Oxford United team will come good again soon, despite their recent wobble continuing with a shock defeat at Rushden.

The U's will still be top of the Nationwide Conference table at Christmas after their main rivals, Dagenham & Redbridge, also lost on Saturday, going down 3-2 at Exeter.

But for United manager Smith, the biggest worry is that so few clear-cut chances were created in Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Nene Park, and that Rushden keeper Nicky Eyre didn't have a shot to save.

He said: "The most disappointing part of it all was that we probably had 80 per cent of the game, but we didn't have one shot at goal.

"We didn't have enough quality or patience. We had two or three headers in the first half, but in the whole 90 minutes we didn't have a shot at goal.

"And that's not because we were penned in our half, because we were in theirs"

But Smith says the team's recent form - one draw and three defeats from their last four away games, including the FA Cup - had not altered his thinking about what to do in next month's transfer window.

"You're limited as to what you can do in January, buying-wise" he said.

"And the lads have done tremendously well anyway.

"They're having a bit of a dip at the moment, but they will come on again, and that's what they've got to do."

United remain two points clear of Dagenham, and eight points clear of third-placed Weymouth.

United have their own worries, though, with an increasing injury list.

Matt Day was stretchered off with an ankle ligaments injury in the second half at Rushden.

The victory over Oxford was Rushden's first in 13 league games and their first under caretaker-boss Tony Godden.

But, according to reports, former Swansea and ex-Crawley Town boss John Hollins is set to be named Rushden's new manager this week, with Godden promised a new role in the new management structure.