HAVING overtaken Reading and Swindon Town, among many others, on their incredible climb up the table, Oxford United now have Denis Smith's West Bromwich Albion in their sights.

Malcolm Shotton's team are bidding for a fourth successive victory when they take on Bury at Gigg Lane tomorrow.

Yet the remarkable run under Shotton has left some of their players wondering what might have been.

"One win and we could overtake West Brom," said acting skipper Les Robinson. "Two defeats in 11 games and we're going from strength to strength.

"It's just disappointing that we hadn't done better before. On this sort of form, we could really have been looking at the top end of the table but sadly, it's too late for us to get in the play-offs. We're running out of games."

Bury have also enjoyed an improved run since they signed Nigel Jemson from Oxford for £100,000.

"To be fair, Jemmo did a good job for us," Robinson said. "I don't think anybody's got anything to prove there." Shotton is expected to name an unchanged side, though he may "tinker slightly", as he puts it, to combat Bury's sweeper system.

"I've seen Bury a couple of times," he said. "They're big and strong. It will be physical - quite a battle probably. But the lads are full of confidence in their own ability."

Shotton added: "I told Maurice Evans that the training we had on Monday was the best session I've known from any group of players in my time in football. They were buzzing."

But United should be warned about the Gigg Lane pitch. It is lacking grass and will favour the home side's direct style.

Bury will be without central defender Paul Butler, who serves the second game of a two-match ban.

They also need to give late fitness tests to midfielder Lenny Johnrose and striker Rob Matthews.

Tony Ellis could take over from Matthews alongside Jemson.

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