ROB Dickie says Oxford United will be ready for a physical battle as they bid to avoid becoming an unwanted headline in the Emirates FA Cup tomorrow.

They play four divisions above their first-round hosts Hayes & Yeading United.

But the BT Sport cameras will be at Beaconsfield Road because there is a chance Karl Robinson’s side will come unstuck.

Dickie is well aware among the television audience only the U’s supporters will be hoping for an away win and expects the part-timers to raise their game.

He said: “My friend said to me the other day we will be the ones everyone wants to lose.

READ MORE: Oxford United's last 3 away FA Cup ties in first round

“They will want to go into work on Monday saying they’ve beaten us.

“Those players always have that extra incentive to win.

“We just need to compete on a physical level to begin with and let them know we’re not a side from a higher league who are going to turn up and think we’re just going to win.

“No game of football is like that.

“You have to show you can compete first and when you do that you earn the right to put your stamp on the game, which hopefully we can do.

“No disrespect to them, but we see it as another chance to extend our unbeaten run, for sure.”

United are unbeaten in a dozen games and if they avoid defeat tomorrow it will be the longest streak without defeat since 1991.

Dickie will just be hoping when the teamsheet is pinned up tomorrow he is playing at centre half.

The 23-year-old was used as a makeshift right back last weekend when an injury to Josh Ruffels forced the U’s into a reshuffle in the 1-1 draw at Portsmouth.

While happy to do a job for the team, it is not an experiment Dickie is eager to repeat any time soon.

He said: “It was a bit of a strange one.

“I’ve not played there in a good couple of years but I think the game panned out very differently to how a lot of other games have gone for us in recent weeks.

“I think I’d prefer to be towards the middle, but I’ll play wherever the manager wants – obviously he knows I’m better used at centre back.”

United are hopeful Ruffels will have recovered from a dead leg to take his place in the starting line-up, while Chris Cadden and Rob Hall could also be available.