MARK Jones is calling on Oxford City to believe they have a fighting chance of competing for a play-off spot this season.

The Vanarama National League South campaign gets under way tomorrow, with St Albans City the first visitors to the revamped Court Place Farm.

City have been hard at work during the off-season, with a new 3G surface laid, while the clubhouse has been refurbished and the rest of the ground given a fresh lick of paint.

There have also been changes to the league, with the play-off places expanded to include teams who finish sixth and seventh.

City came 14th last season, but manager Jones feels the club should be aiming to be in the mix for those spots.

He said: “I think it could be quite open.

“We’ve not got an Ebbsfleet, or anyone like that, who have got a lot more resources than other teams.

“It looks like a more even playing field this year, so I do think it’s a realistic target to aim for those play-off positions.

“But it’s going to take a lot of hard work, organisation and effort from the players.

“However, if everything goes for us and we can avoid injuries, it’s something we can be aiming for.

“We don’t want to be satisfied with winning a game, then losing a game, and finishing just below mid-table.

“We’ve got to be ambitious and aim high – I think that’s a realistic target.”

City have been busy recruiting over the summer, with seven new faces added to the side, despite the departures of Jefferson Louis and Scott Davies.

They have bolstered their squad with the signings of strikers Matt Paterson and Justin Bennett, while Horatio Hirst has returned to the club on loan from Sheffield United.

City won only three of their seven pre-season friendlies, but Jones is feeling optimistic.

He said: “We’ve tried to implement a different playing style to the second part of last season with the surface being better.

“We want to try to be more patient and play a possession game.

“The results have been a bit mixed, but in pre-season that is not the primary focus and we’re definitely looking forward to the league starting.”

Bennett will have to wait for his City debut as he misses tomorrow’s clash with a knee injury.

David Pearce, another new face, is a doubt (foot).

PLAYERS IN

M Paterson, J Bennett, H Hirst, E Jones, J Oastler, Z McEachran, C Navarro.

PLAYERS OUT

J Louis, S Davies, T Winters, W Carvalho, M Fondop, J Niate, S McAuley.

TOMORROW’S SQUAD

Oxford City (v St Albans, home): from Hill, Henderson, Oastler, Demuria, Grant, Navarro, Fleet, Fofana, Jones, McEachran, Pearce, Paterson, Hirst, Forde, Ngathe, Tutton.