Jake Wright is on stand-by to fill in at left back for table-topping Oxford United against Hayes & Yeading on Tuesday night in a match that sees their popular former striker Steve Basham returning to the Kassam Stadium.

Chris Wilder’s men are hoping to maintain their lead at the head of the Blue Square Premier table, in what now is looking increasingly like a two-horse race for the title.

That lead has been reduced to just one point, following Stevenage’s 2-0 win over Crawley at the weekend. Stevenage have another home game on Tuesday evening, against Barrow.

United’s regular left back, Anthony Tonkin, is suspended for one match after his red card in last week’s 1-1 draw at Cambridge.

And his deputy, Kevin Sandwith, is out for two weeks after cracking a rib in the Oxfordshire Senior Cup game at Oxford City.

But U’s boss Wilder says he has options at left back, with central defender Wright very comfortable there, and left-footed Simon Clist another who can drop back to the specialised position.

“It’s unfortunate for Kev because he would have come straight into the side, but we have a squad that can cope,” said the manager.

“Jake Wright has played plenty of games at left back and I have seen him have some very good games there when we were at Halifax.

“And we also have Simon Clist, who played there for much of the season when Barnet won this division.”

There could be a place in the squad for new signing Lewis Chalmers, a central midfielder, while new striker John l From Back Page Grant is pushing for another start after a decent full debut at the Abbey Stadium.

However, leading scorer James Constable and skipper Adam Murray, who is now back in full training, could be available again.

“Beano [Constable] is getting closer and joined in training yesterday, so he won’t be a million miles away,” said Wilder.

Basham, on loan to Hayes & Yeading from Luton until the end of the season, comes back into their side after missing Saturday’s game between the two clubs because Luton didn’t want him to play against them.

The 32-year-old, who scored 49 goals in around 190 appearances in his time at Oxford, will probably play as the visitors’ lone striker.

He has scored six times for Hayes, all of them at home, since the start of December.

Hayes & Yeading are part-timers, but they have ruffled a few feathers this season. And as they showed in their 1-0 defeat by the U’s in the FA Trophy, they can knock the ball around well.

They also have an impressive recent goals tally – 13 in their last five games, including Saturday’s 3-2 defeat by Luton.

Scott Fitzgerald could also return, from a twisted knee, though he may be on the bench.

TUESDAY’S LINE-UPS

Oxford Utd: (from) Clarke, Chapman, Day, Creighton, Tonkin, Deering, Bulman, Hargreaves, Clist, M Green, Grant, Turley, Constable, Midson, Batt, Chalmers, Cain, Cook, Murray, F Green.

Hayes & Yeading: (from) Masters, Cad-more, Ruby, Harris, Green, James, Cochrane, Marwa, Binns, Stolcers, Basham, Watkins, Fitzgerald, El-Abd, Little, Wishart, Overland, Canham, Allen-Page, Mulley.