Rovers start their 2017-18 FA Cup campaign in the 1st round as a result of their participation in League One.
The 1st round draw took place live on BT Sport and the BBC, and included many non-League teams who had begun their qualifying campaigns at the start of August. The lowest ranked teams in the draw were Hyde United, Heybridge Swifts and Ossett Town with all three playing their football in the eighth tier.
Rovers – ball #4 in the draw – were pitted at home against League 2’s Barnet, which would make history as the first competitive meeting between the two sides to date. The tie is set to take place at Ewood Park over the weekend of 3rd to the 6th of November, with a confirmed date to be set in the near future, along with ticket information.
The opposition, who currently lie in 21st place in the fourth tier, have entered the FA Cup at the same time as Rovers as a result of their league status; however with the Bees struggling to find consistent form in the league so far, with 12 points from 13 games, Rovers will be hoping that they can easily brush aside and out of sorts Barnet team.
Last season’s iteration of the FA Cup will stick more so stick out in the memories of Rovers fans, rather than Barnet fans, as the Blues were eventually knocked out by giants Manchester United in the 5th round, after defeating QPR and Blackpool to draw the desired tie. Barnet on the other hand were less satisfied with their contribution to the competition as they were knocked out in the 1st round following a 3-0 defeat to Shrewsbury Town.
