FA Cup: RCA to welcome former Celtic star to Sunderland LDV Park

Former Celtic star Didier Agathe will get his first taste of FA Cup action when his Durham City side travel to Sunderland RCA in the extra preliminary round.

The draw for the first two rounds of the competition were released this week and the former Hoops winger will make his managerial debut at Sunderland LDV Park on September 1.

The two clubs actually faced each other in a pre-seasonfriendly last week and R CA manager Martin S wales admittedthat 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 anotherlook 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 Thorn a by or Bridling ton Town in the next round.

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

Ryhope will entertain Northern Premier League side Os set t 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 corona virus epidemic brought a premature end to all fixtures.

The extra preliminary round draw in full, for local clubs, is: Penrith v Pickering Town, Northallerton Town v Billingham Town, Sunderland Ryhope Community Association v Durham City, Whickham v West Allotment Celtic, Th or nabyvBr idling ton

Town, Crook TownvYorks hire Amateur, Guisborough Town v Newton Aycliffe, Hebburn Town v Hemsworth Miners Welfare, Consett v Sunderland Ryhope Colliery Welfare, MarskeUn it edv North Shields, Stockton TownvShild on, Ga r forthTownv Whitley Bay, Newcastle Ben fieldv Sea ham Red Star, Ashing ton v Goole, Heat on Stan ningtonv West Auckland Town, Bishop Au ck landv Hall Road Rangers.