Smith and Wrexham repeater

Wrexham visit the KasStad tomorrow evening to take part in the game that was originally postponed because of Oxford's involvement in the FA Cup third round at Highbury. Denis Smith's team is four points behind Oxford, but with two games in hand over the Us, meaning that this game is a veritable six-pointer, although the most either side can expect is three points. Wrexham beat United 1-0 at their gaff at the start of the season, and United haven't beaten the Robins (or the Dragons or whatever they're calling themselves now) in the previous nine attempts. Added to that the Us' inability to win at home in midweek and the omens are not propitious, although this being the Chinese Year of the Sheep perhaps the Ewes are due a change in fortune?

Ian Atkins will have one enforced change as Matt Robinson is suspended, having totted up five bookings. Paul Powell will almost certainly take his place and will be looking to impress Atkins, as the black sheep of the Ewes' family tries to come back into the fold (if one may stretch the sheepish analogy a tad too far). Otherwise we anticipate that the same line-up as beat Rushden and Kidderminster will feature, although Dave Waterman, just voted the Division Three Player of the Month for January, could replace on-loan Christian Edwards.

The last time that United won a home midweek match was against Denis Smith's West Brom when Paul Powell, currently Oxford's longest serving player, was amongst the scorers in a 3-0 victory. Wrexham kindly prevented Scunthorpe from leap-frogging United on Saturday, by beating them 2-1, but it will take a convincing performance from the Us to prevent the Welsh team from repeating this result in Oxford tomorrow. In fact, we're going to characteristically predict that United will lose 2-1, because we're in the habit of predicting United defeats.

Reserves go down

United's reserves lost 2-0 to Plymouth this evening. A young United side, of whom Simon King was the only player with first team experience, fell to two second-half strikes from Lee Coxon and Dan Bulley. United's side included Fiachra McArdle, a 19 year old recently released by Derby County.