THE draws have been made for the early rounds of the FA Cup and as ever there is a strong link between the local clubs and the Northern League.

The competition begins a week after the new season gets underway. The Northern Counties East and North West Counties leagues begin on Saturday August 8 so the clubs will have played two games before the FA Cup kicks in.

Three of the four local clubs involved in the extra preliminary round face tough trips to the north east while Silsden host Northern League outfit West Allotment Celtic.

Liversedge must travel to the Barrow area to take on Holker Old Boys, Albion Sports’ hosts are Ashington while Thackley travel to Durham City and their artificial surface.

Eccleshill United’s lowly finish in the NCE Division One means that they failed to qualify this year.

The winners of the Albion and Thackley ties will play each other in the preliminary round so they will be looking to set up a local derby.

That round, on August 29, sees the Evo-Stik League clubs joining the competition and Brighouse Town will host the winners of the extra preliminary round tie that sees Silsden’s NWCL rivals Bootle and Atherton Collieries going head to head.

The draw has not been kind to Farsley Celtic as they have been drawn away against a club on the same step of the pyramid system. The Celts, from Evo-Stik Division One North, must travel to Division One South outfit Stocksbridge Park Steels.