Mark Gelder

United picked up a welcome point at the Globe Arena last weekend, a useful start to December after the dismal November of five defeats. Ater conceding 13 goals in those five matches, the clean sheet will have brought cheer to the defence. On Saturday, United face Northampton Town at the Kassam Stadium, in the second of the local trio tickets which put together the home fixtures against Swindon, the Cobblers and Cheltenham matches in a bundle to entice fans who wanted Swindon tickets to attend all three.

Malcolm Crosby, former coach at Northampton, now heads up the Youth Development at Oxford – presumably he tempted Liam Davis to join the Yellows, after contract talks at Northampton stalled in the Summer.

Team news

As the midweek news announced (see right), United have brought in young striker Matthew Fletcher on a short term deal, which is presumably non-contract terms. This story was mysteriously available on the smart phone app as an interview video, but did not appear on the office website until the next day.

There is a slight doubt as to whether Robert Hall is still with the club or not. He returned from West Ham on 16 November for an initial month – but that was presumably registered from the Friday or Saturday of that week, and so he should be available. Whether the club can extend an 'emergency loan' after the loan window has shut is another qestion.

Meanwhile, Tommy Craddock played a full 90 minutes against Northampton, and with James Constable, Dean Smalley, and Alfie Potter now fit again, there will be plenty of options up front. Michael Duberry is still on the road to recovery, but Anthony Tonkin played a full 90 minutes on Saturday, and ex cobbler Liam Davis is available after his one match suspension. The injury list is presumably now down to Tony Capaldi, Ryan James, and Michael Duberry.

Northampton news

Manager Gary Johnson left the Cobblers after just eight months in charge half way through November. Johnson had overseen 25 new arrivals in the Summer, in the form of either loans or signings, but the club were drifting towards the lower end of the table. Assistant manager David Lee took temporary charge for a game (which they lost 7-2 to Shrewsbury), followed by former Blackburn keeper Tim Flowers as caretaker manager (when they lost 4-1 at Plymouth), and ex-Watford manager Aidy Boothroyd was appointed last week, earning a 1-1 draw at Crewe. Boothroyd is already starting a clear-out, with striker Bas Savage leaving this week, following Ashley Westwood and Chris Arthur the previous week.

Adebayo Akinfenwa has returned to Northampton from Gillingham, and scored last week, his eigth this season – United fans will have to wait and see whether his fractured jaw from earlier in the season had affected his renowned appetite. Centre half Kelvin Langmead is suspended for the game, and Boothroyd is suggesting using either youth team players or midfielder Andy Holt as cover.

Other news

PDC: After last week describing his players as better than himself, after Saturday's game he told the chairman he wanted to sign four or five players in the January transfer window, saying that five of the players had “no courage, no heart, no desire”. Just to finish off the week, PDC then claimed his regime at Swindon was “more organised than some Barclays Premier League clubs”.

Stoke City are apparently interested in Crawley's Tyrone Barnett at