Another week, another competition - but hopefully not another defeat!

Oxford United haven't had the best of times in the past fortnight in the Blue Square Premier, the FA Cup sponsored by Eon and the FA Carlsberg Trophy, but there's always the Setanta Shield.

This is a new competition for Conference clubs and perhaps United should be happy to be in the fourth round already.

That's the furthest they've got in a cup for a long time!

But they will be severely tested at Aldershot, who are flying at the moment.

The Shots are top of the table and their tally of 48 goals is double the number Oxford have managed in the league this season.

Gary Waddock's team have won 11 in a row at home and have notched up six successive wins - home and away - in the Blue Square Conference!

Up front, leading scorer John Grant has struck 15 goals, despite missing a month of the season.

His striking partner, Jonny Dixon, who came from Wycombe Wanderers, has smashed eight goals in his last ten starts.

One fears a little bit for 18-year-old Sam Warrell if he has to play in goal against such a prolific team.

But the youngster did well in difficult circumstances at Tonbridge, bad though the final result was for the club.

He fumbled a couple of high balls, but made one excellent save in the second half, and stayed strong, despite getting heavily shoulder-charged when trying to collect one cross.

Said the Yellows' manager Darren Patterson: "He did well, he's a good kid.

"He made a good save late on when we were really pushing for it. I'm pleased for him to make his debut, but I'm not pleased for him to play in a game like that."

It hardly needs to be said that these are difficult times for United.

But despite the embarrassment of the scoreline against the Angels - which was on a par with, or even worse than, the FA Cup defeat at Marlow back in 1994 - Patterson felt the players at least performed with a bit more pride and desire in the second half at Longmead Stadium.

"I felt that everybody put a shift in, everybody had a go," he said. "We were winning a lot more second balls, were a lot more competitive, and played most of the game in their half."

As if injuries have not been bad enough all season, the U's were hit again by two of their most creative forward players having to pull out of the replay just a few hours before.

"I was a little bit disappointed by the two injuries just before kick-off - Danny Rose and Joel Ledgister, who were probably our best two attacking players on Saturday, and that they weren't available for the squad.

"But I felt the players had a go, we had quite a few efforts at goal, which is better. I'm not saying it's great by any stretch of the imagination, but it was better."

He did not believe that the U's had necessarily missed their chance by failing to beat Tonbridge at home.

"I felt we still had a great chance in the replay. I fancied us more than I did Saturday. Because they were at home, I knew they would come at us and I felt that would open gaps and we would hopefully capitalise on them, but it wasn't to be.

"The second half was better in that we were more competitive and had a lot of efforts on goal. We again just had no real cutting edge."

Patterson also felt sorry for his on-loan Plymouth striker, who looked a natural scorer when he netted on his debut at Kidderminster, but whose level has been brought down by the malaise around him.

"The young boy (Ashley) Barnes . . . the harder he tries, the worse it gets for him. He's only 18."

Just 57 brave souls made the journey to Kent, and United's manager felt for them.

"I thank those fans from the bottom of my heart, especially coming all this way and I would ask them to stay with us. I know it's difficult, but I know I can, and will, turn this around."