Jake Wright is determined Oxford United make the most of a home draw and avoid a replay when Tranmere Rovers visit in the FA Cup tomorrow.

A coveted place in the third round, with the Premier League big guns, will be at stake at the Kassam Stadium.

If the game finishes all square it would give the U’s their longest run without defeat since February and see them in the hat for Monday night’s draw.

A home draw will be something of a novelty for the U’s, who have been handed away trips in their previous six ties, since Gateshead in last year’s first round.

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On that occasion they needed two late goals to force a replay, but Wright, who welcomed the decision by the clubs to cut admission prices, is only interested in getting the job done in 90 minutes.

He said: “If we win it’s five unbeaten and you can carry that on.

“If you lose it takes a bit of momentum away, so it’s important that we win, not just get in the hat and draw.

“We need to win, especially being at home.

“I think that there will be a decent crowd because they’ve made it cheaper for people to come which is brilliant for our supporters.

“Hopefully it will be a good atmosphere, we win and then we’ll all be looking forward to the draw on Monday.”

Just four places separate the teams in the Sky Bet League Two table and Tranmere have shown signs of improvement since Micky Adams took over.

He watched from the stands as the U’s beat Rovers 2-0 in October and although they remain in the relegation zone, they will head south buoyed by a 3-1 win against Portsmouth last weekend.

But an increasingly robust United will not be short on confidence on the back of a run which began last month with a 3-1 success in the first round, away to Grimsby Town.

Wright said: “Results-wise and performance-wise I think we’re starting to get that really good balance.

“We want to pass and play as much as we can, but sometimes you’ve got to have that side where you roll your sleeves up and keep them out.

“I think at Grimsby, York and Wimbledon we did that really well and it gives the lads in front of us a chance to play the football.”

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