NORTH west clubs have been handed a mixed bag of opponents in the first round of the Carling Cup.

Macclesfield have drawn the toughest task of all the local sides in the newly renamed League Cup competition, having drawn last year’s beaten semi-finalists Sheffield United.

David Moss’ men will take on Neil Warnock’s battling side, which came within a whisker of two cup finals and lost in the play-off final to Wolves, at the Moss Rose, hoping to replicate last season’s giant-killing FA Cup antics.

Rochdale will face a trip to the Potteries for their first round tie, after drawing Stoke City. New ‘Dale manager Alan Buckley will take his team down to the Victoria Ground.

For Bury, their season will continue its start on the road, as they follow up an opening day away game at Swansea with a trip to the Wirral to face Tranmere.

Having missed out on promotion last season, Andy Preece will be relishing the chance to start the new campaign off against one of the second division’s bigger clubs.

Troubled Oldham Athletic are also away for their first round clash, prospectively the easiest of the lot, after being handed a trip to Scunthorpe.

Iain Dowie’s efforts to build on last year’s success will see them take Brian Laws’ side, which is likely to include resigned veteran Peter Beagrie.

Newly promoted Wigan will kick off their season with a potentially tricky tie against sleeping giants Hull at the JJB Stadium.

Paul Jewell’s title-winning side will be hoping to continue the form that saw them amass 100 points in division two, although Peter Taylor’s men will be looking to cause an upset.

And Carlton Palmer will take his Stockport County side to Lincoln for their opening tie in the competition. The Imps, who lost in the third division play-off finals last season, will prove no small challenge to County.

The full draw:

Huddersfield v Derby; Rotherham v York; Crewe v Wrexham; Doncaster v Grimsby; Chesterfield v Burnley; Sheff Wed v Hartlepool; Macclesfield v Sheff Utd; Stoke v Rochdale; Tranmere v Bury; Scunthorpe v Oldham; Walsall v Carlisle; Bradford v Darlington; Port Vale v Nottm Forest; Barnsley v Blackpool; Preston v Notts County; Wigan v Hull; Lincoln v Stockport; Mansfield v Sunderland; Coventry v Peterborough; Wycombe v Wimbledon; Colchester v Plymouth; Ipswich v Kidderminster; Millwall v Oxford Utd; Cambridge Utd v Gillingham; Bristol City v Swansea; Watford v Bournemouth; Southend v Swindon; Boston Utd v Reading; Luton v Yeovil; Bristol Rovers v Brighton & Hove Albion; West Brom v Brentford; Cheltenham v QPR; Cardiff v Leyton Orient; West Ham v Rushden & Diamonds; Northampton v Norwich; Torquay v Crystal Palace.

Ties to be played week commencing August 11th.

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