Carlisle boss John Sheridan admits a Carabao Cup clash with Rovers is one to look forward to.

The two sides were paired together in Friday’s first round draw which was held in Vietnam.

The tie, which will be played in the week commencing Monday, August 13 will be a re-run of the 2013/14 League Cup tie when the Cumbrians won 4-3 on penalties after the pair were locked at 3-3 following extra-time.

Two divisions will separate the sides when they meet in August at Brunton Park following Rovers’ promotion from League One. But Carlisle were also victorious in a pre-season friendly last summer and in a 2016 Checkatrade Trophy tie against Rovers Under-23s.

Sheridan, who replaced Keith Curle in the Carlisle hotseat earlier this month, is relishing the challenge and anticipating Tony Mowbray will select a strong team.

“All you ever want from a cup draw is to be drawn at home, and we’ve got that, so it’ll be a good game for us to look forward to,” he told his club’s official website.

“Blackburn will still be on a high following their promotion last season, and I know they’ll want to come here to do things properly.

“Tony (Mowbray) will be looking for his team to continue the momentum and a game against us in the early part of the season will be part of that.

“It’s a chance for us to go up against a side from a higher level and show what we’re about.

“Our players will be under no illusion that we want to stay in the competition because, as this club has seen in the recent past, it can throw up some very interesting fixtures and opportunities the further you go.

“As I say, it’s one to look forward to for everybody.”

The first round draw was unseeded as part of the new changes introduced, with Rovers and Stanley two of the 36 teams in the northern half of the draw.

Stanley will head to League Two side Mansfield Town, with John Coleman’s men having won both of their meetings last season, including a 1-0 win at Field Mill in April.

The Premier League sides not in Europe will enter the competition in round two, while other changes to this year’s competition will see ties go straight to penalties.

Penalty shoot-outs this year will also no longer follow the ABBA format.