Jake Wright says that he knows Oxford United’s defenders must be on their guard tonight as they face the top goal-scorer in npower League Two.

Barnet forward Izale McLeod has scored 17 league goals and 21 in all competitions this term, and was again on target in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat against Shrewsbury.

Oxford are likely to have plenty of the ball tonight, but skipper Wright knows that it only takes one slip and the U’s could be made to pay.

“McLeod is the top goalscorer in our league, so we know that we have to be on our guard throughout because he has scored those goals in a side that are towards the wrong end of the table,” Wright said.

“They have other good players as well, Sam Deering is there, so we know it certainly won’t be easy and we have to make sure we are alert and bright.”

He added: “Keeping your concentration is the hardest aspect of it as a defender in games like this.

“Sometimes you might not get the ball for ten minutes, but you have to make sure that you are always on your guard and in the right positions so that you can clear any danger and we want to make sure we do that.”

Wright says that he is targeting nine points from the next three homes matches, with Macclesfield and Swindon Town due to visit the Kassam Stadium over the next 12 days.

“I think we should get nine points,” he said. “If we haven’t done that, then we have under-achieved in my eyes.

“Yes, there’s pressure on us, but we should be beating teams at home and that is what we want to do.”

Wright knows the first goal will be crucial.

“I think we played some good football on Saturday despite the conditions and we are disappointed we didn’t win the game,” he said.

“We work all week in training on how to beat teams when they have 11 men behind the ball and we need to take that into the match.

“If we get the first goal it makes it a lot easier because they have to come at you and then we can really open teams up.”