SIMON Eastwood is on a mission to help save the festive period as Oxford United target two good results this weekend.

The goalkeeper admitted last weekend’s 7-0 hammering at home to Wigan Athletic was a shock, but they stopped the rot with a 1-1 draw at Gillingham.

With a trip to Bradford City tomorrow followed by a home game against Milton Keynes Dons on New Year’s Day, there is a chance to make amends if Pep Clotet’s side can deliver back-to-back performances.

And beating a Bantams side who are sitting fifth in the Sky Bet League One table would go some way to putting the defeat to the leaders behind them.

He said: “It happens, it’s not nice when it’s you, but in the long run we’ll learn from it so it never, ever happens again.

“You can see why people talk about it, because it’s a shock.

“But at the end of the day we’ve lost the one point that we had before the game.

“If we could get four or six points (this weekend) we’d class it as quite a good Christmas period.

“Obviously it shouldn’t have happened, there’s no excuse for losing 7-0, but if we can get a couple of positive results over this weekend it might make it a bit easier.”

While United’s Christmas has been far from merry, they have collected one more point than Bradford.

Back-to-back defeats, away to AFC Wimbledon on Saturday and at home to Peterborough United on Boxing Day, have put the Bantams under pressure.

Eastwood said: “They’ve just had a poor result at home so they will be looking to bounce back, just like we are.

“They’re not in great recent form but they have a cushion in the play-offs.

“They’re not there by chance, they’ve had a bit of a dip in form but with a team in that position they will soon put it right.

“I think it will be a tough game for us bit it’s one we’re looking forward to.”

Games at Valley Parade always carry extra significance for Eastwood, who grew up in nearby Huddersfield and will have several family members watching.

The goalkeeper spent the 2009/10 season on loan with the Bantams in what was an early test in his career.

He said: “I was a young lad growing up back then learning my trade.

“It stood me in good stead for the future, definitely.”