Oxford United Ladies are ready to embark on the biggest match in their short history – and they can’t wait.

But while a trip to Manchester City in the FA Cup third round on Sunday February 5 has got the club buzzing, they are hoping it is the first of many against top opposition.

And that’s because they are aiming to reach the England Ladies Premiership by the 2013-14 season.

United’s ladies were only formed in 2008, but are already making great strides.

It was after that first season that a five-year plan was formulated to try and reach the top division.

Richard Blackmore, the club’s youth and community trust manager, as well as the ladies’ coach, is confident it is manageable.

“It’s obviously going to be great to go to Manchester City and see the facilities and everything connected with the club, but also to measure ourselves about where we want to be,” he said.

“The important thing is to guage where we are and how far we need to go to get to the next level.

“We have a plan, and that is to be a Premiership ladies football team within the next five years.

“We are two leagues off that at the moment, but we are unbeaten this season and with all things going well, we are looking to get promotion into the combinations.

“Then we are one league off the Premiership.

“That is where we want to be, that is where the chairman wants us to be – and that is the plan, to get there.”

The team have a 100 per cent record in the Southern Region Premier Division.

Captain Nell Boxall says the team can’t wait for the weekend.

“We are all extremely excited,” she said. “We will go there and enjoy ourselves, but although we are underdogs, we believe we can hopefully cause a shock.

“It’s not every day you can play against a team like Manchester City, so we all want to savour the occasion.

“We want to see how we compare to sides that are higher than us.”

United got to the third round with a 5-2 first-round win over Cambridge and then a 2-0 success over Lewes.

The match is being played at Flixton FC in Manchester.