United's last game before christmas is an historic occasion on a couple of levels. It is the club's first game ever in the FA Challenge Trophy, and it is also the side's first ever visit to The Dripping Pan, home of Lewes FC[@opponent]Lewes FC[/@opponent]. The Trophy is a sort of non-league equivalent of the League Cup, open to professional and semi-professional clubs from the Conference down to the Isthmian, Southern, and Northern Premier leagues. It was first competed for in 1969/70, with Macclesfield beating Telford United 2-0 in the first final. Grays Athletic are the current holders, beating United's next opponents, Woking, 2-0 in last season's final to retain the trophy that they won the previous season, when they beat Hucknall Town 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. The final was held at Wembley until the stadium was demolished, and has been held at Villa Park since. Presumably this season it will revert to the national stadium if it's ready in time (so expect a trip to Birmingham should the Us reach the final of this competition, for which they are actually the favourites: 7-1 at Coral).

Jim Smith has said that he is taking the competition seriously, and will be sending a full-strength side, albeit without risking those who are carrying knocks. Definitely out are injury victims Marvin Robinson, who has returned to training, Chris Willmott, and Matt Day, whose injury he received at Rushden is apparently less severe than was at first feared. Also definitely out is Jamie Slabber, who has returned to Grays following his spectacularly unsuccessful loan spell. Smith has confirmed that Rufus Brevett will start the match. Billy Turley is likely to start in goal, following a written transfer request submitted by Chris Tardif and reluctantly accepted by Smith. Up front, Billy Beechers may have been hopeful of a game following his goal for the reserves against Southend on Monday, but he has had his loan to Oxford City extended for another month and so won't feature. For the rest of the squad this is an opportunity to put behind them the recent poor away form, and to build up some much-needed confidence prior to the christmas games, starting with Woking on Boxing Day, in front of what will almost certainly be a record Conference crowd.

Lewes are pretty much an unknown quantity, at least for Oxford supporters, although the club has had them thoroughly scouted. They currently lie tenth in the Conference South, which although it is only one division below Oxford, is a totally different standard of football. Their last game was a 2-2 home draw with Dorchester, during which they lost striker Paul Booth to injury, and he will miss tomorrow's match. They have also recently lost Karl Beckford, who is on trial at Stevenage. This really is a game that Oxford should win, especially without the pressure of the league, and it would be remiss of us to predict anything other than victory for the Yellows. We know that we predicted a win at Rushden, with disastrous consequences, but a defeat at Lewes is surely as unlikely as, um, losing at Marlow in the FA Cup? Whatever. 3-0 to Oxford (fingers crossed, wood touched, salt thrown over shoulder, etc).