THE beauty of the FA Cup is its ability to throw up shocks at every turn, and create brilliant memories.
Pitting non-league sides against their more glamorous opponents is what the FA Cup does so well.
And it is where Oxford United find themselves this weekend.
The U’s head to Vanarama National League outfit Woking in the first round on Sunday, and the tie has all the makings of a cup shock.
United are yet to really get going in Sky Bet League One so far this season, sitting 17th in the third tier.
Woking meanwhile are flying in the National League, with three wins from their last four placing them fifth in the table.
“I had trials there as a goalkeeper when I was 12 or 13.”
— Oxford Mail OUFC (@OxfordMailOUFC) November 3, 2022
Fresh after scoring his first goal in professional football, Gatlin O’Donkor reveals he had trials as a goalkeeper at Reading #oufc https://t.co/FzT7HU8u8U pic.twitter.com/a62wpxEBoC
It means the two sides are separated by roughly one and a half divisions. Cup shocks have happened with much wider gaps than that.
The U’s have exited at this stage of the competition two years running, with defeat at home to Peterborough United followed by last year’s manic replay loss at Bristol Rovers.
An FA Cup run though is precisely what the U’s should be targeting.
Their last one took them to the fourth round, only to be beaten by Premier League side Newcastle United in extra-time.
Combined with a run to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup, United reached the play-off final that season.
A cup run is something the U’s can certainly replicate in the league this season.
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