Oxford United right back Damian Batt has issued a message to striking duo James Constable and Matt Green . . . when you’ve been suspended, getting your place back is not that easy!

Constable and Green, who have scored 17 goals between them this season, are banned for one match after collecting five yellow cards and have to sit out the FA Cup fourth qualifying round tie at home to Thurrock.

U’s boss Chris Wilder says that will give an opportunity to others, and players like Jack Midson and possibly one of Alfie Potter, Marcus Kelly and Sam Deering now get a chance.

Batt made ten consecutive starts for United from August 18 to September 26 but he too picked up five bookings in that time and was suspended for the home game against Crawley.

And in came Adam Chapman, who did well, and Batt then had to make do with being on the bench the following two games before reclaiming the place after Chapman’s hectic week away in Iceland.

The former Grays defender was one of United’s stars in their 1-1 draw at York, and afterwards he said: “I’m like any footballer, I hate sitting out and missing games, but we’ve got a good squad.

“It serves me right for getting suspended, but I’ve come back in and done what I could do and hopefully played well.”

Batt said his manager had explained he had been unfortunate, but it’s the risk you take when you lose your place.

“The manager says: it happens in football. You see it higher up as well.

“That’s the thing, we all want competition. A team always progresses when there’s someone ready to jump into your seat if you’re not playing well, or if you’re suspended.

“At the end of the day, that competition is what we need. We all want to do well together, it’s not about individuals.”

“That’s what’s good about this team, we’ve got players who want to do it, not just for each other, but for the manager and everyone. We’ll do what we have to do to get a result.”

Batt admits he doesn’t know much about their FA Cup opponents.

“We’re going to look at it like any other match,” he said. “They’re going to come at us and be physical, but we’ve not conceded many goals and we’ve looked strong.”