FIRED-UP manager Peter Jackson is backing skipper Efe Sodje to inspire a clean sheet as Town bid to Rock the Kassam tomorrow (3.00).

The 31-year-old centre-back has helped put Town within three points of opponents Oxford United in the battle for automatic promotion and Jackson hopes he can prove a victorious talisman in front of 1,500 travelling fans at the new stadium.

Supporters have warmed to Sodje's no-nonsense approach, snapping up more than 1,000 of his bandanas from the club shop to make it the second best-selling item behind the home shirt.

And they will be right behind him again tomorrow when Town run out having listened to The Clash hit Rock the Casbah, which has been their pre-match anthem for the wins over Lincoln and Yeovil.

Sodje has responded by leading a solid defensive effort of only eight goals conceded in 12 matches since Oxford visited the McAlpine - a match remembered for Sodje's flare-up with striker Julian Alsop, who was sent-off and banned for five matches despite an FA appeal.

Alsop is expected to lead the Oxford attack again tomorrow because leading scorer Steve Basham is out with a hamstring injury, so it should be an intriguing battle as Oxford look to extend their impressive unbeaten home run to 19 matches in a crunch encounter.

"Efe has responded to wearing the captain's armband in magnificent style and he has led by example," said Jackson, who has added Tony Carss and Chris Holland to the squad and hinted at possible changes as Town look for a first win at Oxford since October 1980, when Ian Robins and Dave Cowling were on target in a 2-0 victory.

"We have a great defensive record of late and we want to keep that going tomorrow, although we will have to start well and be solid at set pieces against an Oxford side who are very big and powerful.

"The lads are going down there in very positive mood, though, and if we show the same commitment and effort which has brought us this far then hopefully our fans will have a fantastic win to cheer."

Town have loan man Pawel Abbott looking for a fourth goal in as many games as Jackson's side bid to improve an away record which already reads four wins and a draw in their last five trips.

Jon Worthington and Lee Fowler are just one booking each away from two-match bans, although Steve Yates and Andy Holdsworth will no longer face suspension if they collect fifth yellows of the campaign because that disciplinary deadline has now passed.

Andy Booth will play with a heavy strapping to protect the broken bone in his left hand, and Jackson added: "This is a big game, we are looking forward to it and we want to produce the goods. If we go joint third, it will be a huge boost, so we will be going all out for the victory."

Oxford United - (from): Woodman, McCarthy, Crosby, Bound, McNiven, Whitehead, Quinn, Hunt, Robinson, Alsop, Steele, Hackett, Waterman, Rawle, Ashbee, Scott, Basham.

Town - (from): Senior, Holdsworth, Lloyd, Clarke, Yates, Sodje, Schofield, Worthington, Mattis, Booth, Abbott, Carss, Rachubka, Edwards, Mirfin, Newby, Fowler, Holland.

Referee - Paul Armstrong (Berkshire).