OXFORD United kick off with a home match next season when they take on newly-promoted Peterborough United at the Manor Ground on Saturday, August 12.

But, in a season littered with local derbies, their first encounters with Wycombe Wanderers, Swindon Town and Reading are all away.

Denis Smith's team, who avoided relegation last season by just one point, have a reasonable start to their Nationwide League Division 2 campaign with home games against Posh, Brentford and Cambridge in their first five matches.

But it's a tough finish with their last three away games being trips to Wigan, Bristol Rovers and Notts County.

United are at home to Bournemouth on Boxing Day, at Brentford on New Year's Day and at home to Reading on Easter Monday, and there is only one long midweek trek for their fans, a journey to Wrexham on Tuesday, March 6. UNITED'S reserves will face two more local derbies next season.

Mike Ford's charges are now part of a 25-team Avon Insurance Combination and, in addition to the existing derbies against Wycombe Wanderers and Swindon Town, will also face Cheltenham Town, who enter the league for the first time, and Reading who are re-entering a reserve side for the first time since 1998.

Also coming into the Combination League are Brentford and Crystal Palace.

Dropping out, following their promotion to the Premier League, are Ipswich Town, which gives United's reserves an extra three games to play next season.

The Combination will operate on the same basis as last season with each team playing each other once.