HISTON are the visitors to the Raymond McEnhill Stadium on New Year’s Day, as Salisbury City aim to build on their rousing point against the leaders Oxford United on Monday.

Bradley Gray’s first goal for the club salvaged a well-deserved draw in the 89th minute, and now the Whites will hope to shake off Histon’s ‘bogey team’ tag.

“The players responded really well to Saturday’s defeat at Forest Green Rovers, although I didn’t think that was a bad performance,” said boss Tommy Widdrington.

“Ten of those players played the whole 90 minutes on Saturday so it was a big ask for them to do it all again.

“We pride ourselves on our training methods and Mikey Harris deserves a pat on the back for his fitness work.”

Ben Adelsbury played both games over the Bank Holiday weekend, having been added to the squad from the reserves when the Whites faced selection headaches.

“For a lad who didn’t know he would be starting on Saturday, he has been excellent,” said Widdrington.

“He did well in the reserves win at Plymouth Argyle, and he has shown an appetite for a battle and he can pass the ball.

“I probably didn’t want to throw him in at the deep end, but he’s made it difficult for me to shut the door on him now.”

Widdrington hopes to have Patrick Cox and Chris Flood back from illness for Friday’s game (3pm), but Ryan O’Hara is expected to miss out through injury again and Robbie Sinclair is two to three weeks away from fitness.

Salisbury lost 2-0 at Histon in August but the Stutes have financial problems of their own and have not been the same force this season.

Widdrington said: “They are a bogey side to the club, but not to most of the players who have barely played against them.

“Since I’ve been at the club, we have only got a draw against them so it’s a hoodoo I want to break.”

The Whites could end up facing Histon twice at the Ray Mac in nine days, if the Stutes win their re-arranged FA Trophy tie at Maidstone United on Tuesday.