Just four days after hosting Hayes & Yeading in a Conference fixture, Oxford United will be hosting them again in the first round of the FA Trophy. The draw for the stage at which the Conference National clubs enter the tournament was made today and, while pleased with another home cup draw, United must have had an 'oh no' slap on the forehead moment when they realised that, much like Barrow in the FA Cup, they'd be playing the same team just days earlier.

United haven't done particularly well in the Trophy since first entering it three seasons ago. In their first game they drew 0-0 at Conference South side Lewes, winning the replay 1-0 thanks to a Robert Duffy penalty (remember them?). In the second round Oxford drew 2-2 at home to Halifax, then managed by a certain Chris Wilder, who beat the Us 2-1 in the Shay replay. The following season United went out in the first round, losing 1-0 at Tonbridge Angels (who they?) after drawing the first game 0-0. Last season Oxford successfully negotiated the first-round hurdle of AFC Sudbury, winning 2-0, but were then victims of York City, who beat United 2-1 for Wilder's first home defeat.

The prize for the winners of the first round ties, apart from the obvious one of the glory and glamour, is