Live Commentary

Double blow for Stanley Accrington will be without defensive duo Tom Bender and Shaun Hessey for the visit of Oxford. Bender and Hessey are both continuing to struggle with hamstring injuries and will be unavailable. Last week's trip to Crewe was abandoned due to a frozen pitch, meaning on-loan Charlton forward Michael Smith will take to the field for the first time since wowing the Stanley faithful with a hat-trick in the 4-3 win over Gillingham. The game marked a victory for Leam Richardson in his first game as caretaker manager and he will once more be flanked by veteran midfielder Bryan Hughes and head of youth Phil Hackney in the dugout. Defender Alan Burton has returned to light training as he steps up his recovery from a double hernia operation. Oxford manager Chris Wilder will be without four senior members of his first-team squad. Jon-Paul Pittman has been ruled out for a month with a hamstring problem while striker Tom Craddock continues his recovery from a knee injury which is also set to sideline him for a month. Alfie Potter will play no further part for the U's this season after breaking his ankle in training and defender Damien Batt serves the second match of his two-game suspension. However, Wilder will be able to call on new signing Mehdi Kerrouche at the Crown Ground, The Algerian forward arrived on loan from local rivals Swindon on Thursday and could start in attack alongside James Constable.