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The Cumbrians have met the Silkmen before in this competition, that being in our League Two title winning 2005/06 season in an area final tie over two legs. United eventually getting through on the away goals rule after winning the first leg 2-1 at Brunton Park, only to lose by the same scoreline at the Moss Rose, but get past Town on the away goals rule when both sides netted once in extra-time.
Leg one of the tie took place in late February in Carlisle, and saw Andy Smart give the visitors a ninth minute lead in front of just 191 away fans with a long distance strike. Karl Hawley though equalised for United in the 20th minute following set-up play by Derek Holmes and Chris Lumsdon. Carlisle's superior possession eventually telling in the last minute when Peter Murphy headed home a Simon Hackney corner to give the Blues a one goal lead to take down the M6.
Two weeks later things couldn't have started any worse for the Cumbrians when they found themselves 2-0 and 3-2 down overall after just 28 minutes, Andrew Teague and Matty McNeil getting the Macclesfield goals. A big moment in the tie coming on 34 minutes when Keiren Westwood made an outstanding triple save to pretty much keep Carlisle alive in the competition.
Karl Hawley then netting after 42 minutes with a deflected strike to make things totally level overall, no further goals ensuring that the game went to extra-time. Simon Grand hammered home for the Blues with 109 minutes on the clock from a loose ball at a corner to leave the home side needing two goals due to the away goals rule, but there were still some nervy moments left when Kevin Townson scored for Town a minute or so before the final whistle.
League games between the two teams certainly haven't had as much tension in them as that tie, with the sides having met six times at Brunton Park on league duty. United winning four and losing two, scoring seven and conceding four. In League Two this season Macclesfield are down in 19th place as I type having drawn both their away games to date, 0-0 at Northampton and 2-2 on the road at Morecambe.
Elsewhere in the second round of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, the draw for which was made on Sky Sports's Soccer AM this morning, the big guns of Leeds United, Huddersfield Town and Notts County were kept apart in the North-East section. The only tie you could even try to call a derby coming in the South-East section where Charlton play Barnet at home, the draw in full being as follows :
South-East
MK Dons v Southend United
Leyton Orient v Brighton & Hove Albion
Charlton Athletic v Barnet
Gillingham v Norwich City
South-West
Exeter City v Swindon Town
Northampton Town v AFC Bournemouth
Southampton v Torquay United
Hereford United v Aldershot Town
North-West
Accrington Stanley v Shrewsbury Town
Bury v Tranmere Rovers
Carlisle United v Macclesfield Town
Port Vale v Stockport County
North-East
Bradford City v Notts County
Leeds United v Darlington
Chesterfield v Huddersfield Town
Hartlepool United v Grimsby Town
Ties to be played in the week commencing Monday 5th October