ALEX MacDonald is hoping a week which began on a drip in the John Radcliffe Hospital will end with him making a very welcome return to Oxford United’s side.

The winger has missed the last two games with tonsillitis, which was aggravated by reacting badly to the initial course of antibiotics he was prescribed.

But MacDonald and Callum O’Dowda, who has been laid low by the same illness, boosted the squad by returning to training yesterday.

They have been sorely missed, with United also hit by injuries as they lost to Luton Town and drew with Newport County to allow their promotion rivals to gain ground.

Providing there was no reaction overnight, the pair will come into the reckoning for a critically-important home game with Hartlepool United tomorrow.

MacDonald said: “It’s been a weird week and not one I want to revisit any time soon.

“It’s the reaction to the antibiotics that took its toll on me.

“There were a lot of sleepless nights, waking up sweating and shivering.

“It resulted in me being in the JR on Monday morning and I was on a drip for four or five hours.

“When you’ve seen the lads not get the results we all wanted it’s been so hard to take, to not even be there to be around the lads and try to gee them up has been so hard for me to miss it.

“Hopefully I’m back now and I can help the team in some sort of way on Saturday.”

MacDonald and O’Dowda may have been staying away from the camp to avoid spreading the infection, but they have been in close contact with each other to monitor their conditions.

The former Burton Albion man said: “We’ve had a text conversation every morning just to see how each other is.

“Callum’s not been great either, but he’s certainly on the mend.

“Hopefully he gives us another positive for Saturday.”

The pair could not have come back at a more important time, with only a win tomorrow guaranteeing United’s place in the top-three.

MacDonald will do all he can to play, although the decision rests with head coach Michael Appleton.

The winger said: “All I can do is say I’m fit and available.

“It’s up to him to make a decision on whether he plays me or puts me on the bench.

“I’m just happy to be back around the lads, I’ve missed the place so much since I’ve been away.”