Oxford United probably need the mindset that they have to win every remaining game to keep their season alive.

It’s not as dramatic as that, but after three successive defeats, it’s vital that they bounce back with a draw at the very least at sixth-placed Port Vale tomorrow, to keep their play-off hopes alive, and preferably a win.

After that come three home games in a row, with winning two of those three looking to be the minimum requirement.

Goalkeeper Ryan Clarke said: “We’ve got 11 games left, let’s see if we can win all 11.”

Clarke recounted how, when he was at Conference strugglers Northwich Victoria, they were in a similar position near the foot of the table, needing to win virtually ev-ery game they played in the run-in, and they almost pulled it off.

Seven wins from the last 11 would probably do it for United.

That is a tall order, but they have outplayed so many teams this season that belief remains strong.

Said manager Chris Wilder: “You have to say that you’ve got to get to around 68, 69, 70 or 71 points.

“We’re on 47, so looking at it, we might need six or seven wins.

“We’ve got to go and win games now.

Port Vale have been in the top sevenall season, and led the division when Oxford beat them 2-1 at the Kassam Stadium on October 2, when Tom Craddock scored twice.

The Valiants are pushing hard for an automatic promotion place, lying five points behind Bury and Wycombe, who occupy second and third places, with a game in hand on both.

And from their point of view, they have the comfort of a small cushion, a five-point gap that has opened up between seventh-placed Gillingham, and eighth-placed Torquay.

United remain very hopeful that they can be in the end-of-season shake-up.

“I think it’s still positive that we’re looking to get in the play-offs,” Wilder said.

“The word frustration comes out, because home and away, I don’t think we’ve been absolutely tonked or taken to the cleaners by anyone all season, and a lot of people will be a bit bemused that we’re not right in amongst it.

“The position we’re in is OK, but it is not what I would like us to be because I feel it should be a lot better in terms of the points total in relation to how we’ve played.

“The amount of pressure we’ve been under, and chances against us, doesn’t really equate to the goals that have gone in, and the results.

“But the bottom line is that we’ve not scored enough goals, and we’ve not defended well enough when we’ve needed to, and we need to do that better.”

Steve Kinniburgh seems certain to return for United, at left back, as Anthony Tonkin serves a one-match ban for his red card at Stockport.

There is still a lot of football to be played. But tomorrow is key. As are the three home matches against Stevenage, Crewe and Burton in the rest of March.