OXFORD City boss Mark Jones is using Brackley Town’s heroics in last year’s Buildbase FA Trophy as inspiration.

The Vanarama National League South side bid for a place in the last 16 tomorrow when they travel to Maidstone United.

Brackley, who ply their trade in the North division, went all the way to Wembley last season and capped off their dream run by beating Bromley in the final.

City advanced to the second round with a 2-1 extra-time win over National League outfit Maidenhead United on Tuesday night.

And boss Jones is eyeing another victory over a team in the division above.

He said: “We want to do our best to progress.

“Brackley managed to win this competition last season, so we have to believe that we can go to Maidstone and get a result.

“We have to believe that we are capable of going on in the Trophy.”

Victory in Kent would take City’s earnings in the competition to £18,000.

Jones accepts beating a National League club again will be a tough ask, but they will not fear a Maidstone side who also play on an artificial pitch.

He said: “Good cup runs are really important for clubs like ours.

“It’s not just the extra finance which will really help, but also the excitement of it all.

“We look forward to going to Maidstone.

“It will be very tough, and they have good support, but they play on a 3G pitch like we do, so it’s a game we can hopefully give a good account of ourselves.”

City are boosted by the return of skipper Joe Oastler from suspension, while influential midfielder Zac McEachran looks to have recovered from a knee

injury to return to the squad.

Jones said: “It’s great to have Joe back, and Zac’s injury wasn’t as bad as we had all feared, so hopefully he will be available too.

“We have got a couple of new players that we are potentially looking at, but they’d both be cup-tied for Saturday, so we won’t be adding anyone else to the squad at the moment.”

Jack Self is cup-tied after playing for Banbury United in an earlier round.

TOMORROW’S TEAM

Oxford City (v Maidstone Utd, away): from King, Jones, Godwin-Malife, Jefford, Ashby, Oastler Carter, Fleet, Tshimanga, Bawling, Otudeko, Fasanmade, Barrett, O’Donoghue, McEachran.