United out to press Poppies

8:00pm Thursday 4th September 2008

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Oxford United will do well not to think they've done the hard part with their excellent away results at Ebbsfleet and Northwich this week.

Saturday's game at home to Blue Square North champions Kettering Town will be every bit as tough, possibly harder, with the Poppies still unbeaten this season.

Mark Cooper's hard-to-beat team drew their first four matches - all 1-1, as it happens - and they have won their last three.

A 2-0 victory at fancied Cambridge United made everyone sit up and take notice, and they have followed that up with successive 1-0 wins at home, against Woking last Saturday, and against Stevenage Borough in midweek.

Former Oxford United man John Dempster, who was outstanding last season, picking up all the player-of-the-year awards, can't get in the side.

He has been a sub in recent games, coming on for Alfie Potter with 16 minutes to go against Woking, and with just two minutes remaining against Stevenage on Tuesday.

The star of the show over the opening month at Kettering has been no-nonsense defender Guy Branston, who won the Blue Square Premier player-of-the-month award for August.

He has marshalled a Kettering defence that has conceded only four goals in seven games, as the Poppies have made a mockery of their pre-season relegation odds.

Branston has formed an excellent partnership with a player who has one of the more unusual names in football - Exodus Geohaghon.

Up front, Chris Beardsley, who grabbed the winner against Stevenage, has been inflicting some damage.

But Cooper has told his players not to get too carried away.

"It has been a fantastic start for us but Oxford is the second of two hard games in five days for us and we need to keep switched on," he said.

"We need to keep scrapping and keep working."

United manager Darren Patterson has been understandably delighted by the character of his team.

To fight back from a goal down with ten men at Ebbsfleet showed great spirit.

And the U's went one better in Cheshire, hitting back from a goal down to beat Northwich 2-1 thanks to James Constable's second brace of the season.

So, having sorted out the away form, for the moment, can United now continue their three-match unbeaten run by producing some good results at home?

They will need to be every bit as focussed and concentrated as they were in the last 20 minutes at Northwich, and, with Kettering's defence so hard to break down, take any good chances they manage to create.

The promoted teams often lift their game when they come to United's stadium, and revel in the plush surroundings, having never seen dressing rooms, a pitch and grandstands like it.

In the past, that has worked against Oxford, and it's something Patterson is trying to address.

"We're trying to make it ugly and horrible for visiting teams," he said.

"I was speaking to Peter Taylor recently, and he said they had the same problem at Hull with their new stadium.

"We need to make sure we are very competitive and make it horrible for them in the first 20 minutes.

"And we have to make sure we start the game very, very bright.

"The teams that come up have started this season well in general.

"There's no fear with them. We found that with Eastbourne, so we know it's going to be a tough game.

"Kettering are good defensively.

"I see it as being a similar game to Histon last season, but we won that, so hopefully we'll get the same result."

Kettering boss Mark Cooper added: "We have nothing to fear but you have to give Oxford United the proper respect.

"It's going to be a tough game for us and it's all about how we deal with the surroundings and the atmosphere.

"We must make sure we play the game and not the occasion. It's a big day for us and I really hope we can give the fans that travel down something to cheer.

"I am delighted, but realistic about the start we have had. I am certainly not going to dwell on things.

"We now have to work even harder because when you get some good results it will come back and bite you on the backside."