Jim Smith is hoping that victory over Northwich Victoria in the FA Cup on Saturday can kick-start Oxford United's season.

But should the U's win, it still looks unlikely that Smith will have masterminded it.

A board meeting on Wednesday could spell the end of the Bald Eagle's second spell in charge of Oxford, but nonetheless he feels that it is crucial that they get back to winning ways.

"It's the FA Cup, but after the last result, it is an even bigger game than it was before," he said.

"We have to regroup and make sure we get a result.

"Looking back to last season, we were unbeaten and flying in the league, but lost to Wycombe in the Cup and that started a bad run for us.

"We have to try and make sure that it works in reverse this time around."

Smith says that even now he can see nothing in that Wycombe defeat that would have indicated his side were about to start a bad run, but believes that the match is now the biggest of their season.

"There was nothing that might have told me we would struggle after that defeat," he said.

"Sometimes you can look back and find things, but there isn't anything like that.

"However, quite often you hear managers say that cup runs are a distraction and that the league is the most important thing. Well, while the league is obviously crucial, a cup run is also very important because that is worth money.

"We have got a good draw and we are more than capable of beating Northwich and that would bring us some much-needed finance.

"I have been in the position before where a side is not performing as they should in the league, but then a good cup run has triggered a turn-around in their fortunes.

"That is what we have to try and do because we are not doing as well at the moment as we should be."