Lincoln City will host Leeds United in the third round of the FA Youth Cup, a huge game for the young Imps as we enter the competition at this stage thanks to our Championship status.
The FA Youth Cup brings Championship and Premier League clubs in at the third round, so promotion has changed where we start in this competition too. Some sides are still waiting to see who comes through the second round, but we already know who we’ve got, and it’s a game our under-18s get to play at home.
How The Two Sides Shape Up
Leeds play in the same division as Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool at this level, so they’re used to coming up against some of the country’s biggest academies. They’ve won three and lost six of their nine league games, scoring 15 and conceding 24, which puts them 11th in the Under-18 Premier League North.
We’ve had a good start in the EFL Youth Alliance North, sitting fifth with 17 points from nine games. The young Imps have won five, drawn two and lost two, scoring 25 goals in the process. We’re level on points with sixth-placed Oldham Athletic and have played a game fewer.
When Will The Tie Be Played?
The FA has set Saturday 12 December as the deadline for third-round ties, with a 7 pm kick-off unless the clubs agree otherwise. The draw itself gave no date or venue for our game, but given the size of the opposition, Sincil Bank might be a possibility, although we have a home game against Stoke City on Wednesday 9th December.
This is a good chance to see how the academy side are getting on, but it is likely to be a very tough tie for our Under 18s. With 25 goals already in the league, the young Imps can go into the game with a bit of confidence, but a home tie against Leeds will prove to be a very stern test indeed.
It’s also going to be a big game for the Stacey West, as our Patreon-sponsored trio, Donald Inyama, Leo Fifield and Josh Kennealey will hope to be involved.
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