OXFORD United believe they have an ace up their sleeve when it comes to fine-tuning ahead of Wembley.

Bisham Abbey has been a valuable bolthole in Michael Appleton’s three seasons at the club.

As they did last season on the eve of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final, the U’s last training sessions will be held at the national sports centre on the banks of the River Thames in Berkshire.

The top-class facilities include a training pitch which has the exact dimensions of the playing surface at Wembley.

But for Appleton the main appeal is the opportunity for quality sessions and downtime for the players to unwind as a group.

He said: “With what we know is coming on Sunday, which is guaranteed being a good surface, it will be good for the players to train on that for a couple of days.

“It will be nice to spend a bit of downtime together.

“We hope it serves us as well as it has done in the past.”

United visited in pre-season and returned again in November in a bid to turn around their form in the wake of a limp 2-0 defeat at struggling Shrewsbury Town.

It is seen by many in the camp as the turning point in the entire season.

Appleton said: “The players enjoy it.

“It is a change of scenery, as long as you don’t do it too often and you get the balance right.

“It almost highlights the fact it is a big game.

“We have used it in the past when we felt we needed to approach a game as if it’s a big one and it’s slightly different to the rest.

“Obviously that goes without saying for the final.”