Following the long trip to Plymouth at the weekend Stanley return home tomorrow to tackle Oxford United at the Store First Stadium.

The Reds are aiming for a return to winning ways and an end to their five match losing run against the U’s.

United sit in mid-table in League Two but head north having never lost in Accrington and looking to continue that record.

James Gray’s groin injury, which kept him out of the trip to Home Park, is being assessed as he looks to be available to take his place in the squad.

Deadline day signing Gerardo Bruna could make his Stanley debut, with Scott Davies likely to start a home game for the first time in goal.

Manager John Coleman expects tough selection decisions as he looks to pick a team to prevail over the U’s.

The U’s have spent six of the last 10 seasons in League Two, with the other four seasons being spent in the Conference Premier. They were in League Two until the end of the 2005/06 season when they finished in 23^rd place and were relegated to the Conference.

The U’s then spent the following four seasons in the Conference Premier before being promoted back to the football league via the play offs after finishing in third place in the 2009/10 season.

Since being promoted back to League Two the U’s have never finished lower than 12^th place in the four seasons they have spent back in League Two.

Michael Appleton

39 year old Appleton is currently in his fifth managerial role after taking over as the U’s manager this summer. Prior to becoming manager at Oxford, Appleton had a spell as caretaker manager of West Bromwich Albion in 2011 and then had managerial roles at Portsmouth, Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers.

Prior to becoming a manager, Appleton started his playing career at Manchester United and had spells at Lincoln City, Grimsby Town, Preston North End and West Bromwich Albion before his career was cut short due to a knee injury in 2003.

Danny Hylton

Striker who signed for the club from Rotherham United in the summer and made an excellent start to his Oxford career, netting four times in seven appearances. He now has 14 goals in all competitions.

Hylton started his career at Aldershot and made 178 appearances and scored 35 goals for the club between 2006 and 2013. He then signed for Rotherham United but only made a single substitute appearance for the club last season and spent time on loan at Bury and AFC Wimbledon, scoring twice in seven appearances for Bury and scoring three times in 17 appearances for AFC Wimbledon.

The two sides have met eleven times and Oxford have won five of those games.

Stanley have only won once, at the Kassam Stadium last season.

There have been five draws.

Earlier this season the U’s ran out 3-1 winners against a Stanley side that finished with ten men following James Gray’s dismissal.

The Reds have lost their last five games and now sit five points above the relegation places in 19th spot in League Two.

Their last home victory was in late November against Cambridge United.

Oxford’s 2-0 win at Stevenage on 31st January was their only win in their last six matches.

Appleton’s team are 15th in the table and a point better off than Stanley.

Stanley

James Gray 5
Shay McCartan 5
Kal Naismith 4
Luke Joyce 4
Rob Atkinson 4
Piero Mingoia 4
Sean Maguire 4
Marcus Carver 3

Oxford

Hylton 14
Roberts 5
O’Dowda 3

Mark Haywood (West Yorkshire)

A League ref since 2006, Mr. Heywood has been a regular at Championship level this season.

His last Stanley game was the 1-1 draw at Newport County in October

This season: 27 games, 82 yellow cards, 3 red cards

Admission prices for the game are:

Adults £20
Over 65′s & Students £15
Under 18′s £10
Accompanied Under 12′s £5

For more information on Oxford United, why not visit their official website www.oufc.co.uk