Auto Windscreens Shield - 1997/98

Participating teams

48: 24 each from the Second and Third Divisions. 24 teams in each area group.
North: Blackpool, Burnley, Carlisle, Chester, Chesterfield, Darlington, Doncaster, Grimsby, Hartlepool, Hull, Lincoln, Macclesfield, Mansfield, Notts County, Oldham, Preston, Rochdale, Rotherham, Scarborough, Scunthorpe, Shrewsbury, Wigan, Wrexham, York.
South: Barnet, Bournemouth, Brentford, Brighton, Bristol City, Bristol Rovers, Cambridge, Cardiff, Colchester, Exeter, Fulham, Gillingham, Leyton Orient, Luton, Millwall, Northampton, Peterborough, Plymouth, Southend, Swansea, Torquay, Walsall, Watford, Wycombe.

Format

First round: 8 single-game ties in each area, with 8 teams receiving byes to the second round. Winners advance to the second round.
Second round: 8 single-game ties in each area. Winners advance to the area quarter-finals.
Area quarter-finals: 4 single-game ties in each area. Winners advance to the area semi-finals.
Area semi-finals: 2 single-game ties in each area. Winners advance to the area finals.
Area finals: 1 two-legged tie in each area. Winners advance to the national final.
Final: a single game, played at Wembley.

First round

North

Byes: Blackpool, Burnley, Macclesfield, Mansfield, Notts County, Rotherham, Wrexham, York.

6 Dec Shrewsbury 1 - 2 Hartlepool
9 Dec Carlisle 1 - 0 Oldham (aet)
Chesterfield 0 - 1 Grimsby
Doncaster 0 - 1 Rochdale
Hull 2 - 1 Scarborough
Preston 3 - 2 Darlington (aet)
Scunthorpe 2 - 1 Chester
Wigan 2 - 0 Lincoln

South

Byes: Bournemouth, Brentford, Brighton, Bristol City, Exeter, Luton, Swansea, Torquay.

8 Dec Bristol Rovers 1 - 0 Cambridge
9 Dec Barnet 1 - 2 Walsall
Cardiff 0 - 2 Millwall
Fulham 1 - 0 Watford
Gillingham 0 - 1 Peterborough
Leyton Orient 1 - 0 Colchester
Northampton 1 - 1 Plymouth (aet)
(Northampton won on penalties)
Southend 0 - 1 Wycombe

Second round

North

6 Jan Blackpool 1 - 1 York (aet)
(Blackpool won on penalties)
Carlisle 6 - 1 Rochdale
Grimsby 1 - 0 Hull
Hartlepool 1 - 2 Scunthorpe
7 Jan Mansfield 1 - 0 Wrexham
13 Jan Macclesfield 0 - 1 Preston
20 Jan Wigan 3 - 0 Rotherham
27 Jan Burnley 2 - 0 Notts County

South

6 Jan Bournemouth 2 - 0 Leyton Orient
Bristol City 1 - 0 Millwall
Exeter 1 - 2 Bristol Rovers
Swansea 1 - 2 Peterborough
Walsall 5 - 0 Brighton
13 Jan Fulham 3 - 1 Wycombe
Luton 2 - 1 Brentford
Northampton 5 - 1 Torquay

Area quarter-finals

North

27 Jan Blackpool 1 - 0 Wigan
Preston 1 - 0 Mansfield
Scunthorpe 0 - 2 Grimsby
3 Feb Burnley 4 - 1 Carlisle

South

27 Jan Bournemouth 1 - 0 Bristol City
Fulham 1 - 2 Luton
Peterborough 2 - 1 Northampton
28 Jan Bristol Rovers 0 - 1 Walsall (aet)

Area semi-finals

North

17 Feb Burnley 1 - 0 Preston
Grimsby 1 - 0 Blackpool

South

17 Feb Bournemouth 1 - 0 Luton
Peterborough 1 - 2 Walsall

Area finals

North

10 Mar Grimsby 1 - 1 Burnley
17 Mar Burnley 0 - 2 Grimsby
(Grimsby won 3-1 on aggregate)

South

10 Mar Walsall 0 - 2 Bournemouth
17 Mar Bournemouth 2 - 3 Walsall
(Bournemouth won 4-3 on aggregate)

Final

Sunday 19th April 1998, at Wembley

Grimsby Town 2 - 1 AFC Bournemouth (aet)