Aaron Drewe has expressed his positivity ahead of the weekend’s clash against Southport with Oxford City enjoying their best run of form of this season.

He said: “We’re coming in on the back of a good run of form. The last few games we have been putting in a shift and we can only hope to carry that on again.

“It’s been a good week’s training so far and we have our gameplan ready and hopefully we can execute that on Saturday.

“Saturday’s win against Radcliffe was massive for us. I think not starting well but finishing the game well was massive for us.

“The goals we scored were exactly we planned them in training. The patterns of play were similar and they were the moves that paid off.

“We’re looking forward to Saturday and the changing room is more upbeat.”

Southport pose threats to Oxford City but Drewe is confident that the preparation the side have done during the week will give them more than enough to continue their form in the league.

“We know they’re a hard-working side and they’re high up in the league for a reason. They have a solid base and a strict structure. But what we have planned for this week is going to put us in good stead against them.

City’s away form has given them the majority of points this season but Drewe is hoping to carry over this form to Court Place Farm.

“There’s no denying it, our wins have come away from home but we want to make our ground a fortress, somewhere we can make it difficult for teams to come and play.

“It’s important to start well and have the fans behind us. On Tuesday’s game against King’s Lynn the fans were amazing, obviously the result wasn’t there but the backing we received from the fans was great and we were on top of them for the majority of the game.”

Drewe, who enjoyed a loan spell at Oxford City in 2021 before his permanent move here at the beginning of the season has spoken about the seamless transition and gives his teammates credit for it.

“The boys have made that really easy for me. When Ross brought me in and spoke to the players, they were really happy to have me back.

“They’ve made it really easy for me both on the pitch and off the pitch and the boys have told me to be myself.

I’ve learnt a lot away from here which has put me in good stead, and I want to bring those experiences onto the pitch for the team.”

The full-back hadn’t played a full 90 minutes before his appearance at Scunthorpe, where he scored a late equaliser says his body is acclimatising the strains and stress of high-level football.

“I think after three 90 minutes, the body is back in good stead. I told Ross that there’s more to get out of me and he knows that but to be contributing he way I am at the minute and as long as I’m helping the team perform and get results that’s all that matters.

With the fixtures piling up over the winter, Drewe is confident in the ability of the entire squad to get the side up the league and is aiming to progress to the latter stages of the FA Trophy, a feat he achieved during his first stint at the club.

“One thing about our squad is that it’s so deep. The quality is there from top to bottom and everyone will be needed this month. We have the ‘next man up’ attitude. It’s not about who starts or finishes the game.



“We also want to attack the cups. I’ve had a good cup run here before in the FA Trophy and I want to replicate that or go even further. But the league is important, and everyone is ready, and they have a job to do.”