The three Oxford United players just one booking away from a suspension have been urged not to shirk any tackles when they take on the non-Leaguers of Dover Athletic in the FA Cup first round this Saturday.

Ian AtkinsScott McNiven, James Hunt and David Savage have been on four yellow cards - just one away from an automatic ban - for a couple of games and for some players in that situation, the temptation may be there not to fly in with total commitment.

But U's boss Ian Atkins says he doesn't want his players doing that, especially in the heat of the battle which third division Oxford can expect against a Kent side now third in the Dr Martens League Premier Division.

"I said before the Macclesfield game, when Hunt and Savage were one booking away, that they shouldn't worry about it, and it's the same now with all three of them," Atkins said. "At the end of the day, if they did get another one, it would only be a one-game ban.

"Some bookings are worthy of a yellow card, and others are not, but there's nothing you can do about it. They need to just play their normal game. Overall, we've got a good disciplinary record this season."

Dover are playing Football League opponents in the FA Cup for the first time since they lost 2-0 to Oxford United in the 1981-2 season, Tim Smithers and Andy Thomas getting the Yellows' goals that day in front of a crowd of 3,144.

Oxford are expected to take up their full complement of around 1,200 tickets for the all-ticket clash, but Dover Athletic chairman Mick Kemp said: "Anything more than 3,500 and I'd be very happy."

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