STEVE Basham will be welcomed back to the starting line-up with opens arms for tomorrow's trip to Oxford United.
The 32-year-old striker was banned from playing against parent club Luton Town on Saturday at Church Road, where the Hatters ran out deserved 3-2 victors.
With fellow striker Scott Fitzgerald still out with knee ligament damage, Basham will be the man tasked with shooting down an Oxford side desperate to claw back the top spot they occupied for so long from Stevenage Borough.
United boss Garry Haylock admitted his team were lightweight up front during Saturday's defeat, but was unhappy with the way his players froze in front of a club record crowd of 1,881.
"They've got to be stronger than that and they know it because we talked about it before the game and during the week, but we haven't coped with it," said Haylock. "Sometimes you've got to be in the situation to cope with it."
Hayes went from their best defensive display of the season in the draw with Mansfield Town to one of their worst in just seven days, and Haylock insists his players must maintain concentration if they are to get anything from the Kassam Stadium.
"Oxford are a good side but not unbeatable," he added. "We've got to go and stand up to them and hopefully keep a clean sheet, be more positive and take our chances.
"If you don't want to play in those games then you shouldn't be here. We've worked very hard to get here but hopefully we will be better in the next game and better next season, providing we're still in this division."
Our prediction: Oxford may have only won three of their last seven league games but should still prove too much for Hayes & Yeading. Expect them to field a much stronger side than the one which beat Haylock's men 1-0 in the FA Trophy last December. 3-1.
