Live Commentary

Branston blow leaves Gulls in a pickle Torquay boss Paul Buckle will be without experienced defender Guy Branston for the visit of Oxford to Plainmoor. The experienced centre-back hobbled out of the action 73 minutes into the 2-2 draw at Hereford with a hamstring problem which Buckle quickly blamed on the difficult training surfaces used during the recent big freeze. He told the club's official website: "We've lost Guy Branston so that's disappointing for us. His hamstring has gone. "Again, we've been training on Astroturf and chopping and changing, and it's been an unwelcome spell. "It's come at the wrong time but, on the performance at Edgar Street, we didn't look like a team who had not played for three weeks." Other than Branston, the Gulls have no new injury or suspension problems as they look for the win that could take them into the play-off zone. Oxford travel south with a refreshed Jake Wright in the squad. The defender recovered from a broken foot to make a substitute appearance in the 2-0 defeat to Southend on New Year`s Day. Ben Futcher is likely to make way as the 24-year-old pushes for a start. Manager Chris Wilder could not hide his disappointment following the home reverse, saying: "We were abject, shocking, all over the place. I don't know whether to write it off because some players do have off days and don't come to the table." On-loan defender Leigh Franks continues to give Wilder concern as he struggles with a hamstring problem. Midfielder Paul McLaren will make his U's debut and striker Tom Craddock will be hopeful of starting for the first time since December 4 when he picked up a one-match suspension. Striker Matt Green will hope to be involved against his former club.