Ex-Celtic star and Durham City boss Didier Agathe to get first taste of FA Cup action as draw made

The draw for the first two rounds of the competition was made on Tuesday afternoon and the former Hoops winger will make his managerial debut at Sunderland LDV Park.

The two clubs actually faced each other in a pre-season friendly last week and RCA manager Martin Swales admitted that he was impressed with what he saw from the Citizens side.

He told The Echo: “It’s a tricky draw for us.

“It was a tough game against them the other night and they have improved dramatically.

“We will try and have another look at them, but we were certainly impressed with what we saw from them.

“It’s a good draw, it’s a home draw and that’s important.

“It’s a money-orientated competition and a decent run can help us financially.”

The winners of the tie will pick up £1,125 in prize money and will face a trip to either Thornaby or Bridlington Town in the next round.

Elsewhere in the extra preliminary round draw, Ryhope CW and Seaham Red Star have been handed tough away draws at Consett and Newcastle Benfield respectively.

Ryhope will entertain Northern Premier League side Ossett United if they can see off the Steelmen and Red Star’s reward for a win on Tyneside would be an away day at Frickley Athletic.

The tie of the round sees Shildon travel to Stockton Town in a meeting of the two sides that occupied the top two places in last season’s Northern League Division One table when the coronavirus epidemic brought a premature end to all fixtures.

The draw in full is:

Extra preliminary round

Ties to be played on Tuesday, September 1, kick off at 7.45. Winners to receive £1,125, losers to receive £375.

Penrith v Pickering Town, Northallerton Town v Billingham Town, Sunderland RCA v Durham City, Whickham v West Allotment Celtic, Thornaby v Bridlington Town, Crook Town v Yorkshire Amateur, Guisborough Town v Newton Aycliffe, Hebburn Town v Hemsworth Miners Welfare, Consett v Sunderland Ryhope CW, Marske United v North Shields, Stockton Town v Shildon, Garforth Town v Whitley Bay, Newcastle Benfield v Seaham Red Star, Ashington v Goole, Heaton Stannington v West Auckland Town, Bishop Auckland v Hall Road Rangers

Preliminary round:

Ties to be played on Saturday, September 12, kick off 3pm. Winners to receive £1,444, losers to receive £481

Garforth Town or Whitley Bay v Dunston, Penrith or Pickering Town v Whickham or West Allotment Celtic, Kendal Town v Bishop Auckland or Hall Road Rangers, Heaton Stannington or West Auckland Town v Ashington or Goole, Northallerton Town or Billingham Town v Stockton Town or Shildon, Crook Town or Yorkshire Amateur v Marske United or North Shields, Thornaby or Bridlington Town v Sunderland RCA or Durham City, Frickley Athletic v Newcastle Benfield or Seaham Red Star, Hebburn Town or Hemsworth Miners Welfare v Pontefract Collieries, Guisborough Town or Newton Aycliffe v Tadcaster Albion, Consett or Sunderland Ryhope CW v Ossett United.