Oxford United's players have been given the incentive of a welcome few days off next week - if they can beat Lewes at the first attempt in their FA Trophy first-round tie at The Dripping Pan today.

Like all professional players, they will have few opportunities to be with their families over Christmas and New Year with important Nationwide Conference games on Boxing Day, December 30 and January 1.

But manager Jim Smith has promised them some free time next week, providing they are not taken to a replay - which would be in Oxford next Wednesday - by Conference South side Lewes.

Ideally, the team want to be fresh for their busy league programme over the holiday period, and Smith admitted: "The last thing we want is a replay, but like any other cup competition, you'd prefer that to being knocked out.

"As it happens we've got ten days off, so a replay wouldn't hurt too much in that sense, in terms of loads of games, but we just don't want it.

"If it works out for the boys we've got a nice few days off, so that's an incentive for them to win."

Yemi Odubade looks set to start up front alongside Rob Duffy as Steve Basham's goal drought continues. He hasn't scored since September 16.

Odubade said: "I feel I've done well in training and I want to start.

"We need games like this to show our character, and show what we're made of."

Smith admitted: "Yemi's in with a very good chance of starting.

"Lewes will be seriously up for it. Everybody in our league wants to beat Oxford United and they'll be no different.

"We watched them on Wednesday night and I'm sure they'll play different to how they did then.

"The pitch might be a bit tricky, I believe it's a bit heavy because there's been a lot of rain about, but we've just got to go and do a professional job.

"If we do that, we'll win the game."

The U's are without Chris Willmott, Matt Day and Marvin Robinson through injury.

But Rufus Brevett is fit and returns to the starting line-up.

Smith was planning to play second-choice goalkeeper Chris Tardif in the match, but after he asked for a move earlier this week, getting cup-tied could hinder his chances of getting, for example, another Conference club.

Lewes manager Steven King has signed 18-year-old goalkeeper David Blackmore on loan from West Ham to play in the match.

The Sussex side have a sprinkling of former Football League players, including centre back Ian Simpemba, who played nearly 30 games for Wycombe, and the ex-Rushden duo of Jean-Michel Sigere and Simon Wormull.

On the bench for the Rooks will be Lee Farrell, who is deaf and dumb. He scored the winner for Great Britain in the last Deaf Olympics.

Lewes' Dripping Pan ground had a 1,500 capacity for their recent FA Cup tie against Darlington, and that has been increased to 1,900 for this match.

But ticket sales have been disappointingly slow and it's unlikely the gate will match the sell-out Darlington game.

The match, which kicks-off at 2pm has had its all-ticket restriction lifted, but tickets will not be on sale at Lewes after 1pm.

Lewes: (probable) France, Hamilton, Robinson, Simpemba, Perpetuini, Drury, Kodi, Holloway, Wormull, Sigere, Cade. Subs: Farrell, Goodwin, Kennett, Legge, Elliott.

Oxford Utd: (from) Turley, Anaclet, Dempster, Quinn, Gilchrist, Brevett, Pettefer, Hargreaves, Burgess, Duffy, Odubade, Tardif, Hutchinson, Johnson, Basham, Gunn, Kennet.