AFC Emley will host Ashton Athletic in an FA Cup extra preliminary round Roses clash next month - with an away tie at Northwich Victoria up for grabs.

The Vics took Town to a first-round replay back in 1980-81, but have since slid down the non-league ranks, and now play in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League First Division North, and groundshare at Flixton in Manchester.

First priority for Emley boss Darren Hepworth will be getting past the Huddersfield side’s Saturday August 16 visitors, who are based at Ashton-in-Makerfield and play in the North West Counties League Premier Division.

That’s one rung above Emley, of the Northern Counties East League First Division, but Hepworth guided his side to a memorable 3-2 home win over Ashton’s NWCL top-flight rivals Wigan Robin Park in last season’s extra preliminary round, the first of six qualifying stages, and will be plotting another upset.

A preliminary round tie against Northwich would take place on Saturday, August 30.

Emley have a bye from the first round qualifying of the FA Vase (Penistone Church will visit Atherton Collieries at that stage on Saturday, September 6) and will visit Widnes in the second round

qualifying on Saturday, October 4.

The Cheshire side play in the NWCL First Division and share the Select Security Stadium with Widnes Vikings Rugby League Club.

Emley have also entered the FA Youth Cup for the first time, and will host Sheffield FC in the preliminary round in the week commencing September 8.

The winners will visit Ossett Albion in the first round qualifying.

There are two further qualifying rounds before the competition proper, with Town exempt until the third round proper after making last season’s quarter-finals.

Brighouse Town, newly promoted to the Northern Premier League, enter the FA Cup at the preliminary round stage and will visit either Birkenhead side Cammell Laird or West Didsbury & Chorlton, both of the NWCL.

Paul Quinn’s side enjoyed three FA Cup wins last season before falling to former Football League club Stockport County in the second round qualifying.

Brighouse’s rise up the non-league ladder means they will now play in the FA Trophy, and a home preliminary round tie against new NPL Division I North rivals Ossett Town awaits on Saturday, October 18.

Brighouse will host North Ferriby United or Guiseley in the first round qualifying of the Youth Cup in the week commencing September 22.

FC Halifax Town also enter at that stage and will be at home to Hall Road Rangers or Harrogate Town.

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