Lewis Guy is joining Oxford United on loan for the second time this season.

The MK Dons striker spent a month at the Kassam Stadium earlier this season, scoring once in six appearances.

But with Danny Philliskirk’s loan spell coming to an end after Saturday’s defeat at Crawley, Tom Craddock suspended and Alfie Potter injured, U’s boss Chris Wilder is short of options in attack.

Guy will go straight into the squad for Saturday’s home game with Cheltenham, but some of United’s first-team fringe players are unlikely to join him after falling to stake claims for a starting spot as the reserves lost 3-1 to Colchester at Didcot Town on Wednesday night.

Josh Payne got on the mark from the penalty spot, but it was the younger players who caught the eye in the Football Combination North Section match.

After a goalless first half, United fell behind four minutes into the second period when Tom Aldred fired home from six yards after a goalmouth scramble following a corner.

In the 53rd-minute, a pass from Karl Duguid found Craig Arnott in space on the edge of the box, and he advanced before slotting home past Wayne Brown.

United were handed a way back into the game after 66 minutes when Lewis Alderman was fouled in the area by Michael Rose, Payne sending Mark Cousins the wrong way from the spot.

But in the 88th minute, Brown brought down Freddie Ladapo in the area, and although the U’s keeper got his legs on Ladapo’s penalty, the ball found its way into the net.

Left back Anthony Tonkin was due to play for the first time since the opening day of the season after recovering from a groin injury, but last night picked up a virus and did not feature.

One player who did was John Goddard, a midfielder on trial from Reading.

Oxford Utd Res: Brown, Alderman, Worley, Kinniburgh, Lynn, Franks, A Hall, Payne, Goddard, Marsh, Smalley. Subs not used: Ross, Udumaga, Morris, Long, Crocombe.

Attendance: 61.

* United’s New Year’s Eve fixture at Torquay United will now kick off at 1pm.

The game at Plainmoor was originally scheduled for 3pm, but the clubs have agreed to move it forward by two hours.

Meanwhile, the club confirmed yesterday that there will be no first-team fixture on Saturday, December 3.