OXFORD United’s pre-season will see them play away games at Oxford City and Hampton & Richmond Borough on one afternoon.

The U’s begin with a 12.30pm kick-off at Marsh Lane on Saturday, July 14, while the clash with the Beavers – 53 miles away – starts at 4pm.

It is a ploy which manager Karl Robinson has used in previous pre-seasons with Charlton Athletic and Milton Keynes Dons.

The first-team squad will be divided in two, playing the first 75 minutes of each match, to be replaced in full by the under 18s, who will be the only players involved in both.

Robinson said: “We will get every one of our first-team players getting 75 minutes.

“It’s a very detailed way of looking at it. I’ve done it for three or four years now and the fans loved it.”

The double-header comes on the back of United’s tour to Ireland, where the opponents have now been confirmed.

Robinson’s squad are due to play three games on successive evenings in July, following a training camp.

They kick off on July 9 against Portmarnock AFC, from Division 2 of the United Churches League.

The standard will go up considerably for the final two games, both against SSE Airtricity Division 1 clubs – Ireland’s second tier.

Longford Town, which is a 90-minute drive from the capital, will be followed by a meeting with leaders University College Dublin.

PRE-SEASON MATCHES

  • Mon July 9: Portmarnock AFC (7.30pm)

  • Tue 10: Longford Town (7.45)

  • Wed 11: UCD (7.45)

  • Sat 14: Oxford City (12.30), Hampton & Richmond Borough (4)