OXFORD United boss Jim Smith says his team will probably need to win ten of their last 13 matches to have any hope of catching Dagenham.

The Daggers moved ten points clear of the U's in midweek with a crushing 4-1 victory at Kidderminster.

And with only 39 points left to play for, it's hard to see how they can be caught for automatic promotion unless they suffer a dramatic slump in form.

Smith said: "Dagenham are ten points ahead and we were nine or ten in front of them, so that's 20 points they've made on us.

"We've got 13 games left and so need to win ten of them, really.

"It was disappointing to see Dagenham win at Kidder- minster because that was a game we thought they might have dropped points.

"The frustrating thing from our point of view is that, of those 11 games we had in that bad run, we should have won seven of them."

Smith pointed to the lack of goals for the reason for their run - and admitted that is partly his fault.

"The problem is that it's only Robbie Duffy we've had who's scoring goals," he added.

"We haven't had a natural goalscorer and that's as much my fault as anyone's."

While in-form Dagenham host third-placed York tomorrow, second-placed United visit bottom club Tamworth for the first time in their history.

Smith looks set to name the team that beat Gravesend 1-0, although there may be changes on the bench.

Skipper Phil Gilchrist has spent much of the week having treatment rather than training, but he should be fit to take his place in the United defence.

The hectic month of March, when the U's play twice a week each week, could, however, clearly be more of a problem for him.

With basement boys Tamworth scrapping for their Conference lives, Oxford will need to match the home side's fighting qualities, but Smith isn't concerned about their ability to do that.

"It will be a test of our character, but we have had only one away game, at Gravesend, where our character was called into question," he said.

"I was impressed with not just their players, but Gravesend as a team last week, so we beat a very good side.

"We're all hoping that was the start of another winning run, and we're going to need it."