STUART GRAY is ready to throw down the Welcome Matt ahead of tomorrow's penultimate friendly at Bristol City.

Matthew Oakley expects to make his first senior start of pre-season to deliver a much-needed boost to the manager.

Saints have sorely missed the drive and cohesion of the young midfielder who has seen his pre-season preparations hampered by a knee injury.

He played 45 minutes for the reserves at Newport on Monday but is now ready to step it up at Ashton Gate.

Gray said: "It is great to have Matt back. He links the play well between the back four and the strikers and we have missed him

"It will be the first time he has played alongside Anders Svensson and I am looking forward to seeing how they combine."

Saints have lost their last two friendlies but Gray is less concerned by results than the overall effect of the preparations, which are all geared towards the first league match.

And he stressed there are still places to be won - not just in the starting line-up at Leeds a fortnight tomorrow, but also on the bench.

Gray added: "It's not about 11 players anymore.

"You rarely finish a game with the same 11 who start these days.

"It's a squad game now and substitutes play a major part and that's another aspect I'm looking to resolve during pre-season.

"The main thing is to get a strong, fit squad so that we have plenty of cover in every position and each player knows what to do when called upon.

"I want us to win every game, even friendlies.

"But the main thing is to make sure we are right for the start of the season and I think we will be OK for Leeds. We will be well-prepared."

Danny Wilson's Bristol City have so far won 1-0 at Hereford but lost by the same score at Kidderminster and 2-0 at Exeter before facing Yeovil last night.

Tomorrow will be their last warm-up match and they will be without striker Lee Peacock, who scored 15 goals last season following a £600,000 move from Manchester City. He has a shoulder injury.

Tickets tomorrow cost £8 for adults and just £1 for children and senior citizens.

Saints: (from) Jones, Delap, Lundekvam, Richards, Bridge, Petrescu, Oakley, Draper, Svensson, Davies, Beattie, Pahars, El Khalej, Ripley, Tessem, Benali, Le Tissier, P Murray, Gibbens, Moss.

Bristol City: (from) Stowell, Carey, Lever, Hill, S Murray, Tinnion, Brown, Clist, Bell, Thorpe, Matthews, Amankwaah, Correia, Burnell, Coles, Phillips.