Hatters U18s to host Hammers U18s in FA Youth Cup

Luton will be at home to Premier League side West Ham United in the FA Youth Cup third round after the draw was made yesterday.

The Hatters sit top of their EFL Youth Alliance South East League after picking up five wins, three draws and a defeat from their nine games so far, scoring 22 goals, conceding 14.

Town have put five past AFC Wimbledon and netted four against both Cambridge United and MK Dons this term, but a fixture against the Hammers, managed by Kevin Keen, and who ply their trade in the U18 Premier League South, represents a far greater test.

United are ninth in the table after six encounters, with two wins and four defeats to their name, but they have a great record in the competition, winning it on three occasions, 1963, 1981 and 1999, when they beat Coventry 9-0 on aggregate – while also finishing as runners-up in four further seasons.

Luton have done well in recent years, reaching the quarter-finals in 2016 when a side containing James Justin, was knocked out 1-0 by Blackburn Rovers.

Last year they suffered a first round exit at the hands of Sheffield Wednesday, Coree Wilson and Avan Jones on target in a 3-2 defeat.

The game must take place and be completed by Saturday, December 12.

Full draw: Watford v Dorking Wanderers or Colchester United; Swansea City v Queens Park Rangers; Nottingham Forest v Bristol City; Middlesbrough v Millwall; Brighton & Hove Albion v Chippenham Town or Woking; Stoke City v Burton Albion or Worcester City; Bugbrooke St Michaels or Mansfield Town; Huddersfield Town v Newcastle United; Cambridge United or Guiseley v AFC Fylde or Sunderland; Bury Town or AFC Sudbury v Burnley or AFC Wimbledon; Everton v Wigan Athletic or Irlam or Notts County; Carlisle United or Bradford City v Blackburn Rovers; Derby County v Cardiff City; Rotherham United v Arsenal; Chelsea v Barnsley; Reading v Aston Villa; Liverpool v Sutton United or Bristol Rovers or Camberley Town; Basford United or Grimsby Town v West Bromwich Albion; Oldham Athletic or Lincoln City v Preston North End; Manchester City v Birmingham City; Wolverhampton Wanderers v Norwich City; Salford City or Tranmere Rovers v Manchester United or Hyde United; Metropolitan Police or Swindon Town v Portsmouth or Bromley or Bedfont Sports Club; Gillingham or Charlton Athletic v Sheffield United; Leeds United v Milton Keynes Dons or Eastbourne Borough or K Sports; Tottenham Hotspur v Newport County or Brockenhurst; Chelmsford City or Ipswich Town v Fulham; Leicester City v Sheffield Wednesday; Luton Town v West Ham United; Altrincham or Peterborough United v Hull City or Doncaster Rovers; Exeter City v AFC Bournemouth; Southampton v Coventry City; Fleetwood Town or Walsall v Crystal Palace.