Stride has been playing as a makeshift striker in recent weeks

Burton Albion skipper Darren Stride says the players are desperate to avoid a frantic final day of the season by sealing promotion against Oxford.

The Brewers will clinch the Blue Square Premier title and book a place in the Football League if they can secure at least a draw on Friday evening.

A six-point lead means they can go up even if they lose their last two games.

But Stride told BBC Radio Derby: "The last thing we want is it going down to the last game at Torquay."

He added: "It is the biggest game we are ever going to have - we have to make sure the result is right.

"This is the accumulation of eight months of very hard work and to not achieve what we set out to achieve would be a disaster."

And Stride says Saturday's failure to hold onto their one-goal lead against Kidderminster was a huge disappointment.

"It would have been great to get it out of the way at Kidderminster," he said.

"We can't rely on people messing it up for us. We should be going out there winning the league - that's what we are capable of doing."

Second-placed Cambridge United are the only side that can deny Burton promotion.

But that would mean the U's taking maximum points from their final two matches, the Brewers losing their next two games and a goal difference of minus six being overturned.

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