COLCHESTER United will host Marine FC in the FA Cup first round proper, early next month.

The U's were handed a home tie against the Mariners at the JobServe Community Stadium, after the draw was made last night.

Marine booked their place in the first-round proper after claiming an impressive 1-0 win over Chester, last weekend.

James Barrigan scored the Mariners’ winner from the penalty spot with nine minutes remaining, to book their place in the next round.

Colchester's meeting with Marine will be the first-ever meeting between the two clubs.

Here are ten things you might not know about the Merseyside-based side, who currently lie 12th in Northern Premier League Division One North West.

1 Marine have been around for more than 125 years, having been founded in 1894

2 Marine's relegation to the Northern Premier League Division One North West in 2019 followed 40 consecutive seasons at the highest level of the Northern Premier League

3 Marine were FA Trophy semi-finalists in 1992, the year Colchester won the competition to complete a non-league double under player-manager Roy McDonough. They were beaten by Witton Albion, who lost to the U's in the final

4 Marine FC are named after a hotel situated on the River Mersey seafront at Waterloo, where the club's founders met

5 Current boss Neil Young has been in charge for more than two years at Marine, having taken over in the hot seat on September 13, 2018

6 The club were the subject of a six-part television series for Granada TV in 2001, entitled Marine Lives

7 The Mariners are members of both the Liverpool County and Lancashire County Football Associations

8 Colchester goalkeeper Shamal George made 13 appearances for Marine while on loan from Liverpool, during the 2019-20 season

9 Marine boast the longest-serving manager in post-war English football, with Roly Howard presiding over a remarkable 1,975 games having been in the hot seat between 1972 and 2005

10 Marine’s first-round trip to play Colchester will be the first time they have appeared at this stage of the competition in 25 years