ADVER Sport's guide to Swindon Town's next opponent: Oxford United.

The Chalkboard

LIKE Blackpool on Saturday, Town come up against a 4-4-2 for their short trip to the Kassam.

It is likely to be a fairly strong side fielded by boss Michael Appleton, with the Us looking to play from the back.

Key to their hopes of a fifth successive derby win for Oxford is the midfield pair of John Lundstram and Liam Sercombe. The former’s positional discipline allows Sercombe to join in with attacks from midfield.

The frontmen are encouraged to come and collect the ball to feet and link with play that way, with the two wingers more likely to run beyond the Town backline.

George Baldock tends to join in attacks from right-back whilst the suitably named Joe Scarz tends to stick to his defensive task on the opposite side.

Likely Line-up

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald:

A Man In Form: Liam Sercombe

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald:

IT WAS a big decision for Liam Sercombe to leave Exeter City, a club where he came through from boy to man.

United had tried to attract him to the Kassam in January, but with the Grecians chasing promotion they gambled on keeping the goalscoring midfielder to help fire them into League One.

Ultimately it did not pay off and Oxford finally got their man this summer when he became a free agent.

An early red card might have halted Sercombe’s initial run in the side, but  he now has four goals in 12 games, including two in the win over Accrington Stanley at the weekend.

Those performances have already made him a fans’ favourite.

Getting forward from midfield is a big part of the 25-year-old’s game, so expect whoever Town select in the holding midfield role to have a job on their hands tracking his runs.

The Treatment Room

MIDFIELDER Danny Rose has been an ever-present for Michael Appleton so far this season, but now misses out on the derby having picked up an injury in the win at Accrington last Saturday.

Rose came off in the first half at the Crown Ground with what is an apparent hip injury and, although the severity of the knock is yet to be confirmed, is unlikely to be risked against Town.

Wolves loanee Jordan Graham would be the most obvious choice to replace the former Manchester United
junior as an almost straight swap on the left-hand side.

Apart from Rose, right-back Sam Long is the only other Us man unavailable for selection by Appleton, with the 20-year-old a long term absentee with an ankle injury sustained against Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup.

Form Guide

Sat, Sep 12
Skybet League 2
1-0 Defeat v
Northampton (A)

Sat, Sep 19
Skybet League 2
1-1 Draw v 
Portsmouth (H)

Sat, Sep 26
Skybet League 2
0-0 Draw v 
Morecambe (H)

Tue, Sep 29 
Skybet League 2
2-1 Win v 
York (A)

Sat, Oct 3
Skybet League 2
3-1 Win v 
Accrington (A)

Goalscorers

Kemar Roofe: 6
Danny Hylton: 5
Liam Sercombe: 4

Discipline

Liam Sercombe: 1R
Danny Hylton: 5Y
Ryan Taylor: 3Y

The Stat

Jeremy Balmy is the first player in 29 years to move directly from Oxford to Swindon, Mark Jones his predecessor in 1986.