ANTHONY JOHNSON believes Chester have been handed the toughest possible FA Trophy third qualifying round draw.

But don’t for one second think that the Blues’ joint-boss, pictured, doesn’t feel as though his side aren’t good enough to reach the first round proper.

Brackley’s last defeat on home soil to opposition from the same division came way back on December 1 last year when Altrincham claimed a 2-1 success.

Johnson is under no-illusion as to how tough tomorrow’s tie will be, but is confident the travelling Blues can leave their mark on St James Park.

“I’d have taken York or King’s Lynn away over Brackley, who have a phenomenal home record,” said Johnson, who spent Chester’s free Saturday watching Curzon Ashton’s 1-0 success over York City.

“It’s miles away - the draw is regionalised but it’s the furthest you can go - and they are brilliant at home.

“We also went there three weeks ago, recorded a gritty 1-1 draw and thought ‘we don’t have to go to Brackley again for a while’.

“But that doesn’t mean we don’t think we aren’t going to go there and beat them.

“Brackley will be looking back on the league game and I’d like to think they will be thinking about how tough it was and how tough this game will be.

“It’s the tie of the round and if you want to make any noise in the competition then you’ve got to beat teams like Brackley.

“They are notoriously a good cup team and are always in the top seven of the National League North, but we believe we can go and win.

“It’s a cup game, so it will be two teams going hell for leather to try and win the game.”

Brackley take the competition seriously, lifting the trophy in 2017/18 before being knocked out in the quarter-finals last season by eventual National League champions Leyton Orient.

And Johnson insists his Blues are looking to fly the flag for National League North this season.

“We want to win it,” said Johnson when asked how important the competition is to Chester.

“We try to win every cup game, but there are 25 or 26 teams ranked higher than us in the competition plus National League South teams of a similar ranking.

“You talk about luck with draws and we’ve not had any in this round, so hopefully we can get some if we get through.”

If the game finishes level then the two teams will meet again on Tuesday night at the Deva Stadium.

Sides can agree to finish the tie on the day, but Johnson said: “It’s a tough game, so if we have to settle for a draw we feel we have the advantage back at our place because of our fantastic home record.”

Akwasi Asante played half an hour in a behind closed doors friendly with an Accrington Stanley XI. Asante, below, scored the opener before Cain Noble bagged a brace to secure a 3-0 success, the Dutchman set to feature at Brackley providing he overcomes a bout of illness.

Matty Hughes and Joel Taylor also missed training on Tuesday due to illness, but the duo are expected to recover, meaning only long-term absentees James Jones and Lloyd Marsh-Hughes are out.

National League North leaders King’s Lynn host Hereford, while York City entertain Altrincham and Kidderminster Harriers head to Curzon Ashton.

Guiseley face Telford, Alfreton visit Blyth Spartans and Gloucester City tackle Bradford Park Avenue.

Other ties: Atherton Collieries v Boston; Bath v Gosport; Biggleswade v Aveley; Billericay v Hampton & Richmond; Braintree v Yate; Carshalton v Tooting & Mitcham; Chelmsford v Hungerford; Colne v Southport; Concord Rgrs v Slough; Darlington v Gainsborough; Dulwich Hamlet v Chippenham; Eastbourne v Hartley Wintney; Enfield v Maldon & Tiptree; Halesowen v Gateshead; Haringey v Hemel Hempstead; Havant & Waterlooville v Cinderford; Hednesford v Coalville; Kingstonian v AFC Sudbury; Leamington v Spennymoor; Leatherhead v Dorking; Maidstone v Dartford; Oxford City v Hornchurch; Peterborough Sports v Kettering Town; Runcorn Linnets v FC United; Salisbury v Hayes and Yeading; Tonbridge v Bognor Regis; Wealdstone v Royston; Welling v St Albans; Weymouth v Hastings; Workington v Farsley Celtic