Carlisle City have earned another home draw in the FA Vase after reaching the third round for the first time in the club’s history.
After seeing off Cheadle Town 2-1 on Saturday, City have landed another North West Counties League side in Charnock Richard.
Manager Jim Nichols and his players will be encouraged by the fact that Charnock Richard are only 15th in the League table but some eight points and five places higher than Cheadle.
However the Vase opponents have only played 16 League games and have up to five and six matches in hand on several clubs ahead of them in the table. Cumbrians Kendal Town are third, 12 points better off than Charnock Richard who have five games in hand.
On Saturday they had to go to a penalty shoot out at Eccleshill United which they won 4-2 after the 90 minutes had finished 2-2.
City have only lost once at home this season and manager Nichols believes they are capable of seeing off anyone from the same level at Gillford Park (the Three Rivers Health and Safety Consultancy Stadium).
He said: “Hopefully it’s a game we can progress from because we just wanted to be at home and make it hard for teams travelling up here.
“But all the teams that are left in the competition will be decent at this stage after three or four wins so far and no doubt Charnock Richard will be the same.
“I had planned to go and watch them on Tuesday against Isle of Man but that game is now off but there might be another opportunity to have a look. I certainly expect to know a bit more about them before we play them.”
The tie is on December 2 when City, and Charnock Richard, will be chasing a winner’s cheque of £1,125 with £350 for the losers.
