A WATERLOGGED pitch thwarted Jon Meades’s hopes of his first football in seven months yesterday.

The midfielder was due to play for Oxford United’s development squad in a friendly at Watford, which had to be cancelled.

It would have marked an important moment for Meades, 22, who has been out with an ankle injury since July and is yet to make his competitive debut for the U’s.

Andy Whing, sidelined with a groin problem since November, was also in line to play.

The pair will instead join in with the rest of the squad in full training this week as they edge closer to fitness.

Mickey Lewis, United’s caretaker manager, said: “Both of them have trained well and are getting stronger by the day.”

* FLEETWOOD Town missed the chance to leapfrog Oxford United in Sky Bet League Two last night when they could only draw 0-0 at Newport County.