Oxford United make their second trip to York Street tomorrow, having beaten Boston United 3-1 there last season. Boston being third from bottom gives Oxford an ideal opportunity to take their good home form and make it count away as well. United will be without Julian Alsop, who begins his four match suspension, and Ian Atkins could bring in either Jefferson Louis, who has been regularly coming on for Alsop as substitute over the past few games, or Andy Scott who scored twice at Boston last season. Alternatively Mark Rawle or Chris Hackett are available if Atkins wants to exploit the Pilgrims’ vulnerability to pace at the back.

Atkins also has to decide whether or not to recall captain Andy Crosby after his two games out through injury. His replacement, Paul McCarthy, has done exceptionally well, as have the other centre backs Jon Ashton and Matt Bound. Atkins is unlikely to make any changes to goalie, wingbacks or midfielders so it should be a settled side high on confidence that takes to the park.

Boston used to be chokka with United old boys, but Jamie Cook and Ross Weatherstone have left and Mark Angel is on the transfer list, so only Simon Weatherstone and Stuart Douglas are likely to play. This is still enough to worry United that the old-boy curse might strike, with Simon especially wanting to prove a point. Our pessimistic predictions have now become something of a talisman (superstitious? Us? Not at all!) and so in the best tradition of Rage Online bluff-calling we’re going to go for a 1-0 win to Oxford, which is about as pessimistic as we can get for this one.