Callum O’Dowda: It’s a good time for Oxford to play Luton

Oxford United winger Callum O’Dowda believes that the pressure of achieving promotion to League One is not getting to the team ahead of a crucial game against Luton Town at the Kassam Stadium this weekend.

The U’s are currently lying second in the League Two standings with five games remaining, but they are just four points above the play-off positions, with Accrington Stanley, Bristol Rovers, Plymouth Argyle and Portsmouth all still in the race to finish in the top three.

However, the 20-year-old Irish forward claims that’s it’s a good kind of pressure heading into the final fixtures of the season.

“We are still in a great position. I would rather be in our position than the likes of Accrington and Bristol Rovers so I think there is pressure, but it’s a good pressure.”

O’Dowda heads into the game against mid-table Luton full of confidence, especially after last week’s 5-1 thrashing away at Crawley Town.

‘They’ve got good individuals but we know it’s a good time to play Luton at the moment. They haven’t picked up many points in the last few games so hopefully we can do the job there.”

The Hatters still have faint hopes of a play-off place, sitting only six points behind the top seven, but a win against Luton would move Oxford onto 79 points and with a superior goal difference to some of the sides around them, would move them a step closer to automatic promotion.