THE scent of giant-killing is in the air again after Wanderers were drawn at home to Premiership giants Chelsea in the Third Round of the Coca-Cola Cup.

Ruud Gullit's star-studded Blues come to Burnden on the back of a lucky second round escape which saw them beaten 3-1 at home by Second Division Blackpool, only progressing on the strength of a 4-1 win in the away leg.

Regardless of last night's Stamford Bridge hiccup, Wanderers boss Colin Todd was delighted with the pairing. "It's an excellent, exciting draw.

"It's got everything in terms of personalities. Chelsea are one of the cosmopolitan teams of the Premiership with the likes of Vialli, Leboeuf, Di Matteo and Hughes.

"This is when the competition really takes off. We had a particularly low attendance the other night against Bristol City but we'll see the opposite of that when Chelsea come here.

"We should be playing in front of a full house and the atmosphere will be electric. There'll be no complacency on our part, that's for sure."

The tie, pencilled in for Tuesday, October 22, is sure to put the spotlight on Mark Hughes, who continues to be the subject of transfer speculation linking him with Wanderers.

The tie of the third round will be at Elland Road where Leeds meet Aston Villa in a repeat of last season's final.

The second round giant-killers didn't get the 'plum' draws they were looking for although they have landed Premiership opposition. York, conquerors of Everton, will be at home to Leicester while Lincoln, who beat Manchester City, travel to Southampton.

Swindon's reward for a magnificent second leg comeback at QPR is a lucrative tie at Manchester United.

Full draw:

York v Leicester, Tottenham v Sunderland, Port Vale v Oxford, Bolton v Chelsea, Wimbledon v Luton, West Ham v Nottm Forest, Charlton v Liverpool, Gillingham v Coventry, Ipswich v Crystal Palace, Southampton v Lincoln, Blackburn v Stockport, Man Utd v Swindon, Middlesbrough v Huddersfield, Newcastle v Oldham, Stoke v Arsenal, Leeds v Aston Villa, Ties to be played week commencing October 21.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.