Last Friday Carlisle picked up a hard game at Crewe Alexandra in the first round proper of the FA Youth Cup, but in time honoured fashion as far as this competition goes the last second qualifying round matches were only played last night, with two phoenix clubs successful as Ilkeston thumped New Mills 5-1 on the road and Farnborough defeated local neighbours Alton Town 3-2 at home.
That then takes those two teams into the third and final qualifying round, the first games of which take place next Monday, as the 32 remaining non-league sides look to reach the first round proper in similar fashion to the FA Cup itself, where the Championship and Premier League clubs also come in at the third round proper stage. Unlike the senior competition though Carlisle United are sadly the sole Cumbrian representative of the 460 clubs that entered the FA Youth Cup and have taken part since the preliminary qualifying round onwards.
As for United then, well their opening match this season takes place in the first round proper on Wednesday 31st October in a 7pm kick-off at Gresty Road against Crewe Alexandra. The young railwaymen a tough task for the Blues as they currently sit 5th of 12th clubs in the newly formed Under-18 Professional Development League 2 North, which is a rung higher up the ladder than the level Carlisle play at, Crewe showing a record of four wins, a draw and two defeats from their seven league games played to date.
FA Youth Cup Third Qualifying Round Draw
FC Halifax Town v Bedlington Terriers
Runcorn Linnets v Chester
Gateshead v Wrexham
Vauxhall Motors v Grimsby Town
AFC Blackpool v Bottesford Town
Brighouse Town v Hall Road Rangers
Dunkirk v Yaxley
Matlock Town v Kidderminster Harriers
Hereford United v Atherstone Town
Chasetown v Stourbridge
Ilkeston v Lincoln City
Cheshunt v Histon
Luton Town v Barton Rovers
Brentwood Town v AFC Sudbury
Hoddesdon Town v Langford
Wroxham v Needham Market
Stotfold v Billericay Town
Enfield 1893 v Bury Town
Staines Town v Ashford Town (Middx)
Canvey Island v Boreham Wood
Farnborough v VCD Athletic
Faversham Town v Bognor Regis Town
Welling United v Sevenoaks Town
Dulwich Hamlet v Camberley Town
Carshalton Athletic v Worthing
Aylesbury v Woking
Mangotsfield United v Oxford City
Sholing v Chippenham Town
Didcot Town v Havant & Waterlooville
Maidenhead United v Forest Green Rovers
AFC Totton v Bath City
Cirencester Town v Tiverton Town
*Third qualifying round ties to be played by Saturday 21st October
FA Youth Cup First Round Draw
Gateshead or Wrexham v Preston North End
Runcorn Linnets or Chester v York City
Doncaster Rovers v Morecambe
Oldham Athletic v Accrington Stanley
AFC Blackpool or Bottesford Town v Brighouse Town or Hall Road Rangers
Tranmere Rovers v Bury
FC Halifax Town or Bedlington Terriers v Scunthorpe United
Crewe Alexandra v Carlisle United - Wednesday 31st October @ 7pm
Rochdale v Rotherham United
Bradford City v Vauxhall Motors or Grimsby Town
Hartlepool United v Fleetwood Town
Hereford United or Atherstone Town v MK Dons
Ilkeston or Lincoln City v Notts County
Stevenage v Luton Town or Barton Rovers
Coventry City v Shrewsbury Town
Chesterfield v Northampton Town
Port Vale v Walsall
Burton Albion v Matlock Town or Kidderminster Harriers
Dunkirk or Yaxley v Chasetown or Stourbridge
Enfield 1893 or Bury Town v Cheshunt or Histon
Colchester United v Dulwich Hamlet or Camberley Town
Carshalton Athletic or Worthing v Aylesbury or Woking
AFC Wimbledon v Farnborough or VCD Athletic
Portsmouth v Southend United
Hoddesdon Town or Langford v Canvey Island or Boreham Wood
Brentford v Barnet
Faversham Town or Bognor Regis Town v Welling United or Sevenoaks Town
Staines Town or Ashford Town (Middx) v Wroxham or Needham Market
Brentwood Town or AFC Sudbury v Gillingham
Crawley Town v Dagenham & Redbridge
Stotfold or Billericay Town v Leyton Orient
Bristol Rovers v Torquay United
Oxford United v Yeovil Town
AFC Bournemouth v AFC Totton or Bath City
Didcot Town or Havant & Waterlooville v Aldershot Town
Plymouth Argyle v Exeter City
Cirencester Town or Tiverton Town v Mangotsfield Town or Oxford City
Swindon Town v Sholing or Chippenham Town
Cheltenham Town v Maidenhead United or Forest Green Rovers
Sheffield United v Wycombe Wanderers
*First round ties to be played by Saturday 3rd November