Mickey Lewis is urging Oxford United to cement their place in the npower League Two play-off positions – and try to claw back those teams above them.

The U’s lie seventh in the table, five points clear of Port Vale and six behind Torquay and Crawley.

Victory over Macclesfield on Saturday would mean United would have picked up ten points from the last four games and will give everyone a massive lift going into next week’s derby clash with Swindon.

But United’s assistant manager knows that they cannot afford to take their eye off the ball, despite their recent good run.

“You look at the league table now and there’s a little gap between us and the teams below, but we have to maintain that,” Lewis said.

With five of the six teams above United dropping points in midweek, does Lewis believe that a win tomorrow would mean the U’s should be looking up rather than down in the table?

“I think we’re always looking up, but you have to have an eye below you as you want to stay at least seventh,” he explained.

“It breeds confidence if you come in after the game and see that you are in those play-off places.

“Another three points will edge us towards those ahead of us, but you can’t do anything about those other teams unless you are playing them so we just have to keep concentrating on ourselves.

“It’s nice to have a little gap below, but that will only remain there if we keep doing our jobs and winning matches.”

Macclesfield come to the Kassam Stadium on the back on a dire run having been beaten in their last eight matches.

No team has lost more away games in the league, but Lewis says that Oxford have to forget those statistics.

“We know that every time we play Macclesfield they are always really up for it,” he said.

“It’s always a difficult game as they are hard-working, and although they have had some bad results will be right up for it and determined to put it right.”