This is Des Buckingham's latest column written exclusively for the Oxford Mail.

We’ll be making the short trip to Bristol Rovers today where we know we’ll have another big crowd in the away end and there will be a great atmosphere.

The plan is to give those fans something to cheer about.

We have done exactly that in the last two away trips, to Charlton and Carlisle and a third away win in a row has to be our goal.

That Carlisle game seems a long time ago already with the Northampton game being called off last Saturday and then a disappointing result against Barnsley on Tuesday.

Last weekend’s postponement was the right call.

I was out there on the pitch at three o’clock on the Friday and the chances didn’t look great but I think common sense was applied to get the referee to look at it at 10 the next day.

We gave the pitch as much chance as possible but it wasn’t safe and so the decision was taken to call it off, it’s on February 20 now.

It was interesting to talk to people from Barnsley on Tuesday.

They had a similar situation where a pitch inspection at Stevenage that day was put back until 1pm in the hope that things thawed out.

In the end, the game got called off with the team already there and fans having travelled.

Unfortunately, the Barnsley game just added to the frustration.

It was a horrific night with the wind washing across the pitch and rain soaking everything but you just get on with things and try to make the conditions work in your favour.

I thought we created chances and deserved something out of a very tight game but Barnsley won 1-0 after only having one shot on target all night.

It wasn’t a classic and we stay in the play-off places but we have to find a way to get something out of games when they are that tight.

Training over the last couple of days has been good and so we learn from Tuesday, we prepare for the next challenge and we move on.

We have another nineteen league games, with three of them taking place in the next seven days with the leaders coming to Oxford on Tuesday and then a derby against Reading to look forward to.

It’s a big week. Come and get behind us.

It was a mixed evening for Sam Long on Tuesday; back in the team, scored an own goal, then forced off with a head injury, all within the first quarter of the game.

We will follow all of the procedures now with Sam.

The rules are very clear and it’s not something you try to get around with head injuries.

He was assessed on the pitch, he is being constantly monitored and the biggest problem may well be holding him back!

Sam just wants to play football and be part of our success this season. He will get that chance, but it will be when he is fully ready.