KARL Robinson knows Oxford United will have to rise to the occasion tomorrow.

The U’s will be aiming to spoil the party at Cambridge United, who contest their first third-tier match since 2002 after winning promotion from Sky Bet League Two last season.

Mark Bonner’s side spent most of the campaign in the top three, but an April wobble meant they only sealed their fate with a 3-0 victory over Grimsby Town on the final day.

United have not faced Cambridge in a league game since they were promoted from the fourth tier in 2015/16, although they beat them 1-0 at the Kassam Stadium in the third round of last season’s Papa John’s Trophy.

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Tomorrow’s Sky Bet League One opener is a different proposition, especially with the Abbey Stadium hosting fans for a competitive match for the first time since December.

United head coach Robinson said: “I watched them a few times before we played them in the cup and the manager’s done a great job.

“They lost players and managed to navigate themselves through a difficult end of the season.

“Gary Waddock’s worked with me and I know what a good coach he is.

“As much as we’re going to be excited, it’ll be the first time they’ll have fans back and they’re back in League One.”

Former U’s boss Waddock, now assistant head coach at Cambridge, is not the only familiar face they will come up against tomorrow.

Striker Sam Smith, who scored three goals in 23 appearances on loan at United in 2018, has returned to the Abbey Stadium after he was released by Reading at the end of last season.

He will have a hard time reaching the standards set by Paul Mullin, who scored a club-record 32 League Two goals in 2020/21 and was named the division’s player of the year.

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Mullin turned down a new contract and joined Vanarama National League side Wrexham last month, but 39-year-old midfielder Wes Hoolahan is still going strong.

The former Republic of Ireland midfielder scored seven times in 36 games last season and is expected to be a key figure for Cambridge again this time around.

The home side will be no pushovers, but United are focusing on themselves in the most competitive League One line-up in years.

Robinson said: “We’re united in our belief of what we can achieve.

“It’s going to be a very difficult season and we’ll make sure we’re ready.”