Well, there wasn't any is the bottom line as it was a week off league duty in the north of the country with it being the first knockout round of the Youth Alliance Cup, the southern region being split into groups. Accrington Stanley perhaps the biggest surprise result in the opening stage of the competition as they had an excellent 3-0 win on the road at Blue Square Premier side Mansfield Town.
Blackpool have had a rotten time at youth team level in the last couple of seasons and they were stuffed 8-3 at a Hartlepool side who Carlisle defeated 4-1 in the FA Youth Cup last season. Elsewhere Burnley are out after losing 3-1 to Wigan on penalties following a goalless 90 minutes, while last season's overall winners, in surprise package Grimsby Town, started things off with a 1-0 home victory over Bradford City.
As for United, well our run in the competition has ended as soon as it started with a 2-1 home defeat against league leaders Preston North End, Ryan Bowman scoring from the penalty spot late on for the Blues after Ryan Hall and Matt Dudley had put the visitors 2-0 up. Next week Carlisle are back to league action with an away fixture at a Burnley side who have unusually struggled a little so far this season.
Youth Alliance Cup - Northern Section Round One, Saturday 3rd October
Burnley 0-0 Wigan Athletic, Wigan Athletic win 3-1 on penalties
Bury 1-0 Scunthorpe United
Carlisle United 1-2 Preston North End
Doncaster Rovers 1-0 Morecambe
Grimsby Town 1-0 Bradford City
Hartlepool United 8-3 Blackpool
Lincoln City 1-3 Walsall
Macclesfield Town 2-1 Rochdale
Mansfield Town 0-3 Accrington Stanley
Notts County 1-2 Burton Albion
Oldham Athletic 3-4 Chesterfield
Port Vale 2-2 Tranmere Rovers, Tranmere Rovers win 5-3 on penalties
Rotherham United 3-1 Darlington
Shrewsbury Town 3-1 York City
Stockport County 2-2 Chester City, Stockport County win 5-3 on penalties
Wrexham 2-3 Hull City
Youth Alliance Cup - Northern Section Round Two Draw
Burton Albion v Shrewsbury Town
Hartlepool United v Macclesfield Town
Stockport County v Tranmere Rovers
Chesterfield v Wigan Athletic
Bury v Hull City
Rotherham United v Grimsby Town
Walsall v Doncaster Rovers
Accrington Stanley v Preston North End
Fixtures in the division on Saturday 10th October
Burnley v Carlisle United (11.00am)
Bury v Blackpool
Macclesfield Town P-P Wigan Athletic, moved to Saturday 28th November
Morecambe v Oldham Athletic
Rochdale v Accrington Stanley
Shrewsbury Town v Tranmere Rovers
Stockport County v Port Vale
Walsall v Preston North End
Wrexham v Chester City
Youth Team Results : Click here
Youth Team Squad : Click here
Youth Team Table : Click here