OXFORD United will be without suspended key men Adam Murray and Chris Willmott for tomorrow’s FA Trophy second round home clash with York City.

Centre-back Willmott had been due to serve his one-match ban during Saturday’s Blue Square Premier match at Eastbourne but, because that fixture fell foul of the weather, it now comes into effect against the Minstermen.

Former Derby and Carlisle midfielder Murray, who has been the U’s only ever-present this season, was also shown his fifth yellow card during a 2-0 victory over Salisbury on New Year’s Day, meaning he misses out as well.

Oxford could, however, welcome back Joe Burnell and Chris Carruthers after the pair returned to training this week following respective knee and ankle injuries.

Burnell is expected to replace Murray in midfield while Carruthers will be in contention for the left-back spot.

Striker Yemi Odubade is less likely to recover from the knee problem which caused him to miss the Salisbury victory but has responded well to treatment and has a 50-50 chance of featuring.

Should Odubade fail a fitness test, then 19-year-old loan signing Reneil Sappleton could be handed his first start, having scored as a substitute on his debut against Salisbury after signing on loan from Leicester last week.

Jamaican Sappleton, who has also been farmed out to Bournemouth this season, will be hoping to partner 11-goal leading marksman James Constable.

Constable, signed on a season-long loan from Shrewsbury, has netted in three of the U’s last four games.

Oxford will entertain the Minstermen on the back of a ten-game unbeaten run at the Kassam Stadium – a sequence stretching back to September 20 when Crawley enjoyed a 2-1 triumph.

Weymouth are the only other team to taste victory at Oxford this season, during a 1-0 away win back in August.

High-flying Burton, Histon and Kidderminster are the only three Blue Square Premier sides to have lost fewer league games in front of their own fans this season while only Burton (31), Crawley (31) and Stevenage (27) have managed more goals at home than 11th-placed Oxford’s tally of 25.

The U’s have also conceded just twice in their last seven Kassam clashes and go into tomorrow’s tie having enjoyed back-to-back wins over Salisbury and Ebbsfleet (5-1).

Former Halifax manager Chris Wilder will be taking charge of his fourth game after succeeding caretaker chief Jim Smith. His first ended in a 2-1 defeat at Salisbury on Boxing Day.


Match facts

City have made only one previous visit to Oxford in Cup football.

That was in 1997/8 in the second round of the then Coca-Cola Cup.

At the time City were in Division Two (League One) and United – managed by former City boss Denis Smith – were in Division One (Championship).

City lost the first leg at the Manor Ground 4-1 after leading 1-0 at half-time thanks to a Rodney Rowe goal.

The line-up on September 16, 1997 was: Samways, McMillan, Tinkler, Barras, Hall, Murty, Bushell, Pouton, Stephenson, Tolson, Rowe (Bull). Oxford won the second leg 2-1 at Bootham Crescent to go through 6-2 on aggregate.

It happened on January 10

1953: A 1-1 home draw against Barrow with Billy Fenton on the score-sheet watched by 7,698. City were third in Division Three North.

1964: City suffered their seventh successive League defeat when they lost 1-0 at Workington and were bottom of Division Four.

1975: Chris Topping scored in a 1-1 draw at Bootham Crescent against Southampton in front of 9,562. City were 16th in Division Two (Championship). It was Tom Johnston’s last match as manager prior to his move to Huddersfield Town.

1981: A 2-1 home victory over Wigan Athletic with Ian McDonald and Lloyd Richards the marksmen. The crowd was 2,028 and City were 14th in the Fourth Division.

2004: Chris Brass and Richard Cooper scored in a 2-0 home success over Carlisle United in front of 4,804 and City were tenth in Division Three (League Two). It was City’s last Football League win.

Compiled by David Batters