United up against some very familiar faces...
Oxford United look to step things up as they travel to Eastleigh for a pre-season friendly on Saturday (3pm). The U’s were beaten at Woking on Tuesday night and although the result is largely immaterial Head Coach Michael Appleton has made his players very aware that standards need to be set for the season ahead.
“These games are all about peaking for the first league game but I spoke with the players at length after Woking and talked about the need to compete and the fact that nobody is certain of a starting place yet- they all have the opportunity to impress in the next couple of weeks.
“There will be a little extra edge on Saturday because of the Oxford connections and that’s good from our point of view. There will be a couple of changes to the team from the other night and it will be a good test for us.”
Those players who don’t get a run out on Saturday will feature in a game at Thame United on Tuesday night (7.30pm)
It will be the first chance that fans get to see the brand new Oxford United home kit in action. Full commentary and reaction in Yellow Player.
The Opposition
There are Oxford connections all through the Spitfires squad, from Chairman Stewart Donald to Manager Richard Hill, who played for the U’s at the top level. Yemi Odubade, Josh Payne and Jack Midson are all likely to feature against their former club as will Matt Bevans who is on trial at Eastleigh after leaving the U’s in the summer. However, much of the attention will focus on James Constable, set to lead the line against the club he scored 107 times for and where he remains a club legend.
Tickets
Admission is £8 adults, with £5 concession (over 60), under 16s £3, under sevens free
The nearest pubs to the ground are “The Cricketers Inn”( Post Code: SO53 3HN) and the”Fleming Arms” (Postcode:SO18 2QN)
Directions
The Silverlake Stadium
Stoneham Lane
Eastleigh
Southampton
SO50 9HT
From the M3:
Exit Junction 13
Turn right into Leigh Road.
Continue to crossroads and turn right at lights into Passfield Avenue
Go past Flemming Park Sports Centre on right
Continue to the end of Passfield Avenue
At roundabout take 2nd exit
At next roundabout 1st exit past Concorde Club
Take the first turning right into Stoneham Lane
Ground 100 yards on left hand side
From the M27:
Exit Junction 5
At roundabout take first exit into Stoneham Lane
You will pass rear of ground on left hand side
Continue to the end of the road and at the roundabout take 3rd exit and come back up Stoneham Lane
Past Concorde Club
Next turning on right Stoneham Lane
Ground 100 yards on left hand side
By Train:
The nearest train stations to the Silverlake are Eastleigh or Southampton Airport Parkway, both of which are about a 20 minute walk