Awards all round

Congratulations go to Jamie Brooks, who won the BBC South Young Sports Personality of the Year, or some such title. Presumably for being young and having a personality rather than for any particular sporting achievement, although that's perhaps a tad unfair. Brooks claimed that he is ahead of schedule with his rehabilitation and could be back playing football in May.

Congrats too to captain Andy Crosby who was voted the Nationwide Third Division Player of the Month for November, which is more an indication that more Oxford fans vote for this award than those of any other club, rather than him being the best player in the division for the month. Bobby Ford also demonstrated United supporters' voting strength when he took the award in September. December's winner will probably be James Hunt.

Reserves gassed

United's reserves went down 3-1 at Bristol Rovers last night. Adam Garner equalised Rovers' opener but then two goals in the first bit of the second half scuppered United's efforts. Lee Steele, Paul Powell, Abdou Sall and Manny Omoyinmi all played the full 90 minutes, whilst Jefferson Louis and ROS Chris Hackett (who made the goal) also played for much of the match.

Sunday's officials

The referee for Sunday's game is K Hill from Royston. Hill was also in charge of our home defeat to Scunthorpe earlier in the season and our 2-1 win over Swansea last season. His assistants are K Pike and S D Tomlinson. The 4th official is B Curson. United are 7/5 favourites to win the game, with odds of 8/5 to lose and 11/5 to draw.