Town Face Wendy in Trophy

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 13/09/2003

GRIMSBY have been drawn away at Sheffield Wednesday in the first round of this season's LDV Vans Trophy. The tie will take place at Hillsborough during the week commencing 13th October.

Town are unbeaten in the competition, having won it in 1998, when they were also promoted, and have not been eligible to enter it since.

Since Grimsby were last in the competition (then known as the Auto Windscreen Shield) the format has been changed to allow top non-league sides to enter. With Wednesday having made a good start to life in Division Two, the Mariners first game in the competition could well be one of the toughest.

The rules have been changed a little for this year. Should a match go into extra-time, "Silver Goal" rules will apply rather than the Golden Goal which won Grimsby the tournament back in 1998. Silver Goal rules mean that the team leading at the end of the first period of extra time wins. If no team is leading at the end of the first period, a second 15 minute period will be played. If there is still no team leading once 30 minutes of extra time have been played, a penalty shoot-out will take place.

The full first round draw (Northern section) is as follows:

Notts County v Barnsley
Mansfield Town v Stockport County
Sheffield Wednesday v Grimsby Town
Wrexham v Morecambe
Scunthorpe United v Shrewsbury Town
Oldham Athletic v Hartlepool United
Lincoln City v Telford United
Halifax Town v York City
Darlington v Hull City
Carlisle United v Rochdale
Chesterfield v Macclesfield Town
Blackpool v Tranmere Rovers
Scarborough v Port Vale
Chester City v Doncaster Rovers

Byes: Bury and Huddersfield Town

The full first round draw (Southern section) is as follows:

Barnet v Brentford
Boston United v Swindon Town
Brighton & Hove Albion v Forest Green Rovers
Colchester United v Colchester Town
Dagenham & Redbridge v Leyton Orient
Hereford United v Exeter City
Oxford United v Rushden & Diamonds
Peterborough United v Torquay United
Plymouth Argyle v Bristol City
Queens Park Rangers v Kidderminster Harriers
Southend United v Bristol Rovers
Stevenage Borough v Luton Town
Wycombe Wanderers v Cambridge United
Yeovil Town v AFC Bournemouth

Byes: Northampton Town and Swansea City

The first round will take place during the week beginning 13th October, most likely on Tuesday 14th or Wednesday 15th.

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