Fellow National League side FC Halifax Town will be visiting Barrow AFC next month after the draw was made for the first round of the FA Trophy on Monday afternoon.

The tie will be played at Holker Street on Saturday 15 December, in between the Bluebirds’ league fixtures against Maidstone United and Solihull Moors.

It will be AFC’s second chance to make progress in a cup competition this season after they crashed out of the FA Cup against National League North side Chorley in the fourth qualifying round.

The FA Trophy is a competition that holds fond memories for Barrow supporters, as their side have twice won Wembley finals, in 1990 and 2010.

They were knocked out in the second round of the tournament last season, when they were defeated on home soil in a replay by Brackley Town, who went on to win the Trophy after defeating Bromley on penalties at Wembley last May.

This will be the Bluebirds’ second match of the season against Halifax, having lost 2-0 at The Shay on August 7 in the National League, their second match of the campaign.

It turned out to be a costly evening for Ian Evatt’s side, as Brian Wilson limped off with a calf injury that kept him out for two months, with his fellow centre-back Matt Elsdon suffering damage to his knee that he has only recently returned to training from.