OXFORD United can turn around a bad week if they are able to continue their superb away form at Peterborough United today, according to Kane Hemmings.

Back-to-back home defeats to Bristol Rovers and Sheffield United have dealt a big blow to the side’s hopes of a push for the Sky Bet League One play-offs.

Boss Michael Appleton believes they need eight more wins to stand any chance – and now there are only a dozen games remaining.

But the U’s are the division’s form side on the road, winning six of their last seven outings.

Peterborough’s poor form means another defeat today could realistically end their play-off hopes and Hemmings knows United’s approach can pay dividends at London Road.

The striker said: “The way we press teams we nullify the opposition’s threats early on.

“We go into games wanting to get after teams and attack them to make sure they don’t play their style.

“If we can do that early on it gives us an advantage.

“With the negative results, there’s a positive that we’ve got another game so quickly.

“We won’t give up (on play-offs) until it’s mathematically impossible.”

Hemmings is United’s top-scorer with 14 goals, but Tuesday’s 3-2 defeat to Sheffield United was his first league start of 2017.

The striker hopes he did enough to keep the shirt, but acknowledged the arrival of Toni Martinez on loan from West Ham has forced him to be patient.

He said: “We’ve got good strikers at the club and Toni has come in and scored a few goals.

“I want to play every single game, there’s no shying away from that, but at times you need to bide your time and wait for your opportunity.”

Hemmings was one of four players brought back in midweek after injury.

The quartet all came through the test without suffering a reaction, so should be fit to play today.

United’s only fresh injury concern is over Charlie Raglan, who pulled a thigh muscle in the warm-up against Sheffield United.

The hosts have centre back Tom Baldwin available again after suspension, but two unnamed regulars are struggling with knocks.

TODAY’S SQUADS

Peterborough: from McGee, Smith, Hughes, Tafazolli, Bostwick, Forrester, Grant, Taylor, Maddison, Mackail-Smith, Nichols, Morias, Samuelson, Anderson, Da Silva Lopes, Baldwin, Inman, Binnom-Williams, Tyler.

Oxford Utd: from Eastwood, Edwards, Dunkley, Nelson, Johnson, Hall, Lundstram, Ledson, Maguire, McAleny, Hemmings, Martinez, Sercombe, Rothwell, Ruffels, Ribeiro, Raglan, Skarz, Stevens.