JOE Oastler says Oxford City will be going all out to make life difficult for Northampton Town tonight as they bid to pull off an Emirates FA Cup shock.

The Sky Bet League One side’s visit to Court Place Farm will be screened live on BT Sport, with the cameras hoping to capture an upset.

While there are three divisions between the sides, several non-league outfits have taken scalps already over the weekend.

Oastler is a veteran of City’s three previous successive appearances in the first round, with the undoubted highlight knocking out Colchester United at this stage in 2017.

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And he is well aware the Cobblers players are the ones with everything to lose.

The City skipper said: “We’ve been there before, we went to Royal Wootton Bassett in a previous round.

“Coming here on a Monday night in front of the TV cameras is going to be a difficult game for them.

“We’ll try to make it as difficult as possible.

“We’ll give them the ultimate respect, they are professionals and have done well, but we have to make sure we concentrate on ourselves and believe we can cause an upset.”

Reece Fleet is another City stalwart well versed in their FA Cup runs.

He was even at the club in their previous first-round appearance before this sequence, in 2011.

While Northampton will not have to worry about an uneven playing surface which can so often be an ingredient for an upset, the 3G artificial surface may help the hosts.

Fleet said: “I guess it’s an advantage because we’re used to it. Hopefully we can make the most of it.

“The longer we’re in the game they will get nervous.

“Of the games we’ve been involved in they have been tight all the way to the end.”

He added: “We’re going to have to be at our best to do something, but there’s always a shock and why not us?”

In any other season, City would have been boosted by a vocal crowd packed into their tight ground.

Coronavirus rules mean they will be missing and Oastler feels their pain on missing a big night.

“I’m gutted for them,” he said.

“This is my fourth year here and without the biggest following, the fans we have are very loyal.

“I feel very sorry they’re not here and we’ll be doing everything we can to get a win.

“Hopefully things change soon.”