28/1/03 - Broughton eager to battle back

The 22-year-old striker is available again after serving a four-match suspension.

Broughton, whose last appearance was on Boxing Day against Leyton Orient, hopes to have learned his lesson following the ban he was handed in the wake of two red and nine yellow cards this term.

He said: "I am passionate about winning and that sometimes spills over. It's something I have got to look at because I can't afford to keep picking up so many cards.

"I am not going to change the way I play because that will take too much away from my game, but I think I need to keep in with the referees a bit more.

"It has been a very difficult month. With some big games the lads have not been training that much and you find yourself on your own for three or four days. It's difficult but it has been important for me to stay focussed during that period.

"I have done a lot of hard work and tried to treat it like a pre-season. I am as fit as I was at the start of the season, although you can't replace the sharpness you get by training."

Harriers, meanwhile, will be checking on the fitness of on-loan midfielder John Melligan before finalising their side.

He has missed the last two matches because of an ankle injury.

Utility player Adie Smith has shaken off a slight hamstring twinge from Saturday's 3-2 home win over Bury and is fit for selection.

Harriers, who are 11th in the table and just two points away from a play-off place, are hoping to build on their success against the Shakers which ended a run of three league games without a win.

Aggborough boss Ian Britton said: "We need to get a bit of momentum going now.

"We've got all the top teams coming to us and that gives us the chance to pick up points and stop our rivals getting points at the same time."

Sixth-placed Oxford will go into tonight's match knowing that a win would hoist them into an automatic promotion spot.