The draw has been made for the first round of the FA Cup.

Gillingham have been handed a home tie against Hartlepool United on the weekend of November 9-12.

Steve Lovell's side were knocked out at the second round stage last season by Carlisle in a replay.

Kent's non-league teams in the draw were all paired with Football League opposition.

Maidstone United are at home to League 2 strugglers Macclesfield - the side that nearly appointed former Stones boss Jay Saunders as their manager in the summer.

Ebbsfleet entertain Cheltenham Town at Stonebridge Road while Andy Hessenthaler's Dover are on the road, having been paired away to Bury.

Bromley were drawn at home to League 1 Peterborough United.

The winners will bank £36,000 in prize money with the potential for further earnings if selected for TV coverage.

Gills' opponents Hartlepool are currently sitting eighth in the top-tier of non-league football.

The Gills have come unstuck several times in recent years against opposition from the lower leagues.

They were dumped out of the competition by League 2 Carlisle United last season - having beaten National League side Leyton Orient in the first round - and by non-league Brackley Town the year before that. Justin Edinburgh’s side lost to Brackley just three years after the Gills had been knocked out by the same opposition.

In the 2015/16 season lower-league Stevenage dumped them out of the cup at the first round stage, losing 3-0, and many fans will still be haunted by the home defeat to Dover Athletic in 2010.

FA Cup first round draw

• Bromley v Peterborough
• Bury v Dover
• Ebbsfleet v Cheltenham
• Gillingham v Hartlepool
• Maidstone v Macclesfield
• Mansfield v Charlton

Ties to be played November 9-12