On Valentines Day, Oxford recorded their first league win in four matches at home to Dagenham & Redbridge. Having reached League 1 courtesy of the play-offs two years ago, the Daggers are now in real danger of suffering two consecutive relegations. This is hardly surprising; given the club's stature, fan base and tiny stadium, it was only a matter of time before reality caught up with them. However, the swift nature of their fall must still be rather alarming to Dagenham supporters.
This was a victory that leaves Oxford three points clear of the chasing play-off pack and gives the U's much-needed impetus ahead of a tricky away tie to Bristol Rovers, followed by two home matches against struggling Barnet and Macclesfield. After this, of course, Swindon come to town.
Once again, Wilder has turned to loan signings as his short-term fix. Since siging Scott Rendell, Marc Wilson and Oli Johnson on loan, Wilder has also brought Lee Holmes from Southampton and controversially, Mehdi Kerrouche from Paolo Di Canio's Swindon. Wilder's obsession with loaness does slightly worry me. Although the core of the team is still in place, I can't help feeling that such an influx of new faces must disrupt the balance of the side. Moreover, the hunger and committment of a loan player is never as great as one who is contracted to the club. If things turn against Oxford in the coming weeks, these 5 players can simply jump ship back to their parent clubs. Having said this, these players all arrive with impressive reputations (especially Lee Holmes) and so this will increase competition within Wilder's squad.
A win at the Memorial Stadium against a revived Bristol Rovers outfit would be a fantastic result and would really provide Oxford with the momentum and morale to sustain their promotion push.
