LUKE Foster's performance at Altrincham on Saturday gave Jim Smith renewed hope that Oxford United can win their way through the play-offs.

And the U's boss revealed he has Foster's dad to thank for recommending the defender.

There is doubt over whether on-loan Mickey Corcoran will be available for the end-of-season play-offs, so Foster has been a big find.

And he helped the defence look very solid, in the absence of skipper Phil Gilchrist, in a game that the visitors should really have won by five or six goals.

"Although there wasn't a lot of threat against them against Altrincham, all three central defenders did well, Foster particularly - I thought he had a very good game," Smith said.

"Altrincham have done well of late, so it's being unfair on the defence to say they weren't up against much."

Oxford snapped up Foster from Stalybridge Celtic, after Smith asked around to see what he was like, even probing Billy McEwan, the boss of play-off rivals York.

"Luke has not played a lot of league games," he added.

"He's played for Lincoln and York and I got a letter from his dad - it's probably because he's a Sheffield lad that I took a bit of interest in him.

"And I spoke to Marvin Robinson, who played with him at Lincoln.

"He said that he crunches people - so I thought that might do us well in this league!

"I also chatted to Billy McEwan at York. I don't know whether he was trying to get me a bad player or not, because the first time he said he was rubbish and then eventually turned it around and made it sound as if he's a world-beater!

"He hasn't trained a lot, and all credit to him. Last Tuesday, for his first game, he did quite well and on Saturday he got better.

"He's a nice lad, a good build - not as fit as we would like just yet though - but he's done a good job for us.

"With Gilly being as he is, and with Willmott out, he could be very important for us at the end of the season."