Carlisle land League Two leaders Salford at Brunton Park in the FA Cup first round
Thursday 22 October 2026 · By Fiona Lassiter
Carlisle United will host Salford City at Brunton Park in the FA Cup first round, after the Cumbrians were drawn out 39th of the 40 ties on Monday night.
Salford currently top League Two, Cumbria Crack noted, so the tie will be a real test of how Rob Elliot’s side measure up against Football League opposition.
It will be the clubs’ first meeting in the FA Cup, according to the News & Star, which also reported that Salford won 2–0 at Brunton Park in a pre-season friendly, with Macaulay Langstaff scoring both goals.
There is a personal angle too. Junior Luamba, who has previously played for Salford, is likely to miss the tie through injury, the News & Star reported.
First-round ties are due to be played between Friday 6 and Monday 9 November, and the Football Association says dates, kick-off times and television selections will be announced in due course.
Carlisle earned their place with a 2–1 win over Tamworth in the fourth qualifying round on 17 October. Regan Linney scored both goals in the first half, the first after seven minutes and the second just before the break, according to Tamworth’s match report. Tamworth pulled one back early in the second half and pushed for an equaliser, but Carlisle held on.
The attendance was 2,708, including 97 from Tamworth, the visitors’ report said. The game also marked the end of Elliot’s touchline ban.
Squad numbers are a concern. The News & Star reports that Elliot has only 18 players available for the next three league games, with striker Georgie Kelly out with what the paper describes as a hip injury.
Elliot has played down the prospect of signing another striker, despite chief executive Tom Lawrence suggesting the club was looking at another centre-forward, the paper reported. Elliot has instead pointed to players returning from injury, and praised recent signing Micah Obiero, who set up Linney’s opener against Tamworth.
In the Enterprise National League, Carlisle are 14th on 17 points from 13 games, according to the BBC table, which has not changed since 10 October. They have four wins, five draws and four defeats, and have scored 23 goals.
The league programme resumes on Saturday 24 October with a trip to second-bottom Solihull Moors, kicking off at 3pm BST. Solihull published a board statement on Thursday morning admitting that results “have fallen well below expectations”, so Carlisle can expect a home side keen to respond.
Carlisle then host second-placed Harrogate Town on Wednesday 28 October at 7.45pm, and travel to Altrincham on Saturday 31 October at 3pm. Both times are GMT, after the clocks go back on Sunday 25 October.
That is a demanding week for a stretched squad, with two of the in-form sides in the division to come after Solihull. Elliot will need all 18 of his available players.
The Salford tie gives supporters something to look forward to. Before that, Elliot’s priority is to pick up points while the squad is thin.
Brunton Park is a proper old English ground: a mix of seats and terraces, a distinctive triple-gabled roof at one end, and the hills of Cumbria beyond the floodlights. It opened in 1909 on Warwick Road, a short hop from the city centre and about a mile from Carlisle station. Capacity is just under 18,000. For visiting supporters it is one of the more characterful away days in the lower leagues — provided you check which end you have been given before you travel.
The pitch runs north to south. Behind the north goal is the Waterworks, also called the Petteril End: an uncovered terrace that for years stayed shut except for big crowds. Club policy now often places away fans here, with a handful of seats on a first-come basis. There is hot food and soft drinks, but no alcohol in that terrace. Behind the south goal sits the Armstrong Watson Warwick Road End, the covered home terrace with the three triangular roofs. That is where the noise lives. Do not expect to be put there.
Along the east touchline is the Andrew Jenkins Stand, sponsored by Pioneer Food Service — a single-tier seated stand built in the mid-1990s. Historically the north blocks of this stand were the main away allocation, with segregation, toilets and a concourse bar designed for around 1,750 visitors. Arrangements still vary by fixture, so treat your ticket and your own club’s away notes as gospel. The west side is the Main Stand and Paddock: offices, tunnel and dugouts in front, seats above, standing paddock below, and the Fan Zone just outside.
Getting there is straightforward. Leave the M6 at junction 43 and follow Warwick Road; the ground appears on your left after a little over a mile. The supporters’ car park is on the east side, usually from 12.30pm, about 400 spaces at £5 cash only. It floods after heavy rain, so check club channels on the day. Coaches are typically £20 and minibuses £15, paid on the day. From the railway station it is a 20–25 minute walk, or a short taxi. Bus 63 stops near the Lakeland Gate Inn.
Turnstiles generally open 90 minutes before kick-off. The away area is card-only. Tickets are usually sold through your own club; collections, when offered, are from the away ticket office. Blue Badge parking is limited and first-come. Wheelchair spaces exist but are few — book early through both clubs. Stewards and the Supporter Liaison Officer ([email protected]) can help on the day.
Pubs are assessed fixture by fixture. The Beehive and the Caledonian are home-only on matchdays. Many travelling groups use the Fan Zone on the west side before kick-off: food, container bars and a screen, when police and the club allow visiting fans in. Carlisle RUFC next door is another common meeting point. Inside, expect pies and the usual kiosk fare rather than a gourmet concourse.
Weather matters here. The Waterworks has no roof. Bring a coat even in April. Views from that terrace are close to the goal and honest rather than plush; from the East Stand you see the whole pitch and the Warwick rising opposite. Brunton Park is not a new-build bowl. It is a working ground with terracing still in use, a pitch that has survived floods, and a home support that likes the place noisy. Arrive early, confirm your stand, and you will have a decent afternoon in Cumbria.