JAMES Roberts’ return will provide a much-needed energy boost for Oxford City, according to general manager Justin Merritt.

The striker is expected to come back into the side tomorrow for the trip to Whitehawk in Vanarama National League South, with midfielder Reece Fleet also returning after being unavailable during the week.

Neither were involved as City’s Emirates FA Cup campaign was brought to an early end with a 2-1 defeat at home to Bath City in their second qualifying round replay on Tuesday night.

Roberts – one of five players on loan from neighbours Oxford United – was unable to play any part as he completed a three-match suspension following a red card on his first appearance for the club.

And while the enforced lay-off was frustrating for the 20-year-old, Merritt believes his side could benefit.

He said: “James is desperate to get out there and show what he can do.

“He’s been fortunate in some ways that we got the three games out of the way quickly.

“He’s raring to go and he will be a big asset for us, with his movement and finishing.”

The striker is now in his second spell with City, following a brief stint on loan at Marsh Lane last season in which he made five appearances without finding the net.

But Merritt believes the goals will soon start flowing.

“When he opens his account the goals will keep on coming,” said the City boss.

“He wants to score some goals, get his name out there and get noticed.

“We can give him the platform to do that.”

Fresh legs are a valuable commodity for City, who were left devastated after tasting defeat at the end of 120 gruelling minutes on Tuesday.

And while Merritt believes there was plenty of reason for optimism in his side’s performance, he admitted the defeat was a difficult blow from which to recover.

“We’re very down after Tuesday and we feel we didn’t deserve to go out,” he said.

“We’ve just not had the luck we felt we deserved.

“We put in an awful lot of effort over 120 minutes and we’re still reeling from that a bit.

“We’ve played well over the last few weeks, but we’ve not had any luck.

“My message to the players is just to keep doing what they’ve been doing and the results will come.”

TOMORROW’S SQUAD

Oxford City (v Whitehawk, away): from Stevens, Grant, Poku, Ashby, Henderson, Cundy, Isaac, Fleet, Ofosu, Davies, Soares, Ngathe, Patterson, Winters, Giles, Fondop, MacAuley, Hunte, West, Roberts.