Ipswich Town will face Lincoln City, at Portman Road, in the first round of the FA Cup.

East Anglian Daily Times: Ipswich Town haven't won an FA Cup match in almost a decade. Photo: PAIpswich Town haven't won an FA Cup match in almost a decade. Photo: PA (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

The Blues - who are the highest ranked side at this stage of the competition - were the first ball pulled out of the hat during tonight's televised draw.

They were followed by Lincoln City, meaning Town have got an opportunity for revenge for their FA Cup defeat at the hands of the Imps back in 2017.

Back then it was a Championship v National League clash, with Tom Lawrence's brace rescuing a home draw before Nathan Arnold scored a dramatic last minute winner at Sincil Bank in front of a live BBC One audience.

The two clubs are now League One rivals. Lincoln, who saw managerial duo Danny and Nicky Cowley leave for Huddersfield earlier this season, are currently 12th in the table under new boss Michael Appleton.

Ipswich Town are used to entering (and, in recent times, generally exiting) this competition at the third round stage. Relegation to League One means they now start in the first round along with the other 46 League One and League Two clubs.

This will be the first time the club has started in the competition this early since 1956/57. Back then they beat Hastings United 4-0 at Portman Road.

Town - who lifted the famous trophy in 1978 - have now gone almost a decade and 14 games (D4 L10) without a victory in the tournament. They've fallen at the first hurdle nine seasons in succession, losing to lower-league opposition in four of the last five years (Preston, Portsmouth, Lincoln and Accrington).

First round ties will take place on the weekend of November 9/10. That's four days after a midweek trip to Rochdale and three days before a dead rubber EFL Trophy match at Colchester.

If Ipswich's game against Lincoln did go to a replay then that would fall between scheduled league games against Oxford United (a) and Blackpool (h), though there is a strong chance that Oxford game will be postponed due to international call-ups.

Second round ties are scheduled for November 30 (kept as a free weekend), four days after the rearranged home clash with high-flying Wycombe.

Last season, four first round ties were selected for TV broadcast - one on BBC Two (Haringey Borough v AFC Wimbledon), plus three more on BT Sport (Maidenhead United v Portsmouth, Port Vale v Sunderland and Hampton & Richmond Borough v Oldham Athletic).

Following Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Accrington Stanley on Sky Sports, Ipswich have now gone 15 games without a win in front of the live television cameras.

Tonight's draw took place at Maldon & Tiptree's ground - the Essex club having reached the first round for the first time in their history. One of just two eighth-tier teams left in the competition, they were handed an away trip to League Two League side Leyton Orient.

The in-form Jammers, managed by former Town defender Wayne Brown, have won all 16 games they've played across all competitions this season.

Cichester City, the lowest ranked side in the draw, were last out the hat and therefore received the bye which was available due to Bury's recent expulsion from the EFL.

Colchester United, who face Crawley in the last 16 of the Carabao Cup next week, were handed a home tie against League One side Coventry.

FIRST ROUND DRAW IN FULL

Ipswich Town v Lincoln City

Oxford City v Solihull Moors

Crawley Town v Scunthorpe United

Harrogate Town v Portsmouth

Colchester United v Coventry City

Sunderland v Gillingham

Dulwich Hamlet v Carlisle United

Bolton Wanderers v Plymouth

York City v Altrincham

Chesterfield/Wrexham v Rochdale

Maidstone United v Torquay United

Leyton Orient v Maldon & Tiptree

Chippenham Town v Northampton Town

Haringey Borough/Yeovil v Hartlepool

Cambridge United v Exeter City

Whitby Town/Stourbridge v Welling United/Eastleigh

Salford City v Burton Albion

Forest Green v Sutton United/Billericay

Bristol Rovers v Bromley

Ebbsfleet/Woking v Notts County

Walsall v Darlington

Nantwich Town v AFC Fylde

AFC Wimbledon v Doncaster Rovers

Hayes & Yeading/Poole v Oxford United

Shrewsbury Town v Bradford City

Grimsby Town v Newport County

Gateshead v Oldham Athletic

Mansfield Town v Chorley

Dover Athletic v Southend United

Tranmere v Wycombe

Carshalton Athletic v Boston United

Cheltenham Town v Swindon Town

Accrington Stanley v Crewe

Potters Bar/Barnet v Fleetwood Town

Macclesfield v Kingstonian

Maidenhead/Wealdstone v Rotherham United

Blackpool v Morecambe

MK Dons v Port Vale

Stevenage v Peterborough United

All matches to be played 8-11 November