Northern clubs sent on their travels in FA Cup First Round draw

Long-distance away trips were the theme of the FA Cup First Round draw for sides in the North with four of the seven sides drawn away from home, and three of those having round-trip journeys of over 500 miles.

The side many Non-League sides will have dreamt of drawing, former Premier League side Sunderland – who now play in League One – have been handed a home tie against League Two strugglers Mansfield Town.

The three North East non-league sides in the draw have all been handed tricky looking ties away against Football League sides, Northern Premier League side South Shields have been handed the longest trip out of the three, with a 525-mile round trip to face League Two title contenders Cheltenham Town.

National League North side Darlington face a similar distance with a 475-mile round trip to League One side Swindon Town, while National League Hartlepool United have a much shorter journey at 250-miles but still face tough opposition in the form of League Two Salford City.

Over in Cumbria, League Two side Carlisle United have also been handed a long journey, a 620-mile round trip to West London to face seventh tier side Hayes & Yeading United of the Southern Premier Division South.

The other Cumbrian side, League Two Barrow, also face a side from the capital, but will not have to travel down to London, having been drawn at home against AFC Wimbledon.

In North Yorkshire, the side promoted to League Two from the National League with Barrow last season, Harrogate Town, have been handed a home tie against the lowest ranked team left in the competition in North West Counties Premier Division side Skelmersdale United.

FA Cup 1st Round Fixtures
Leyton Orient v Newport County

Havant & Waterlooville v Cray Valley

Sunderland v Mansfield Town

Bolton Wanderers v Crewe Alexandra

Oxford United v Peterborough United

Exeter City v AFC Fylde

Tonbridge Angels v Bradford City

Walsall v Bristol Rovers

Rochdale v Chesterfield

Swindon Town v Darlington

Barnet v Burton Albion

Wigan Athletic v Chorley