Oxford United make the short trip to Irthlingborough this evening to take on play-off rivals Rushden & Diamonds. This was the game that should have been played on New Year's Day but which was called off at the last minute because of a frozen pitch. United have failed to win in their last four games, during which they have slipped from having a healthy lead at the top of the table to third place and slipping away. We will refrain from calling tonight's game a 'must win' match, but it is.

United could be without Jake Wright, who took a knock just before half-time in Sunday's 0-0 draw at Tamworth, but in Mark Creighton there is a ready-made replacement. The official camp is surprisingly quiet on the likelihood of Adam Murray and Alfie Potter being in the side, which means either that they are playing their cards close to their chests or they haven't got a clue.

Rushden are having a pretty decent year so far, and they are unbeaten since United thrashed them 1-0 with a late Adam Chapman penalty on 16 February. Since then they have won at Histon and Tamworth (ahem) and scraped past Gateshead 8-0 at Nene Park. With Gateshead coming to Grenoble Road on Saturday, that could make for an interesting comparison. The Diamonds are chocka with ex-United players, with Mickey Corcoran, Rob Wolleaston, Craig Farrell, and Jefferson Louis all potentially on the scoresheet tonight.

United's grasp on the championship was further weakened following last night's results. Stevenage Borough came from a goal down at Grays Athletic to win 2-1 and extend their lead over United to six points. Jamie Guy scored the goal that gave Grays a half-time lead and all Oxford supporters the usual dose of false optimism. York City climbed above Rushden into fourth place, five points behind United, with a 1-0 win at Kidderminster Harriers, but AFC Wimbledon's hopes of a play-off place took a knock as the seventh-placed Dons lost 2-0 at home to Barrow, who climbed to 19th place. Mansfield Town, in eighth place, required a 94th minute equaliser to scrape a 1-1 draw at home to Altrincham, while Oxford's next opponents Gateshead beat Wrexham 1-0 to go 17th. The other game saw second-bottom Forest Green Rovers, on the brink of administration, win 3-1 at 18th-placed Salisbury City. [@opponent]rushden & diamonds[/@opponent][@connection]rushden & diamonds[/@connection]