This week’s FA Youth Cup clash with Oldham Athletic will be the biggest occasion in the short history of Chester FC’s academy but youth team boss Calum McIntyre insists his team are not making up the numbers.

Chester’s reward for reaching the first round proper for the third time with wins over Chadderton, Cheadle Town and Silsden AFC is the chance to test themselves against Football League opposition.

Oldham are red-hot favourites for Wednesday’s game at Boundary Park (7.30pm) and McIntyre is under no illusions about the size of the task facing his side, but believes his side have the talent to shock the full-time Latics and reach the second round for the first time.

Read: Blues youngsters power into first round as Silsden AFC hit for six

He said: "We’ll have to be at our best, I’ve been told that there are plenty of Chester supporters travelling and that’ll give us a real boost no doubt. It’s a bit of a nightmare draw for a Football League side given the size of the club and the start we have had to the season.

"For the first time this season we are probably considered the underdogs, that said, the way in which we’ve been playing, I challenge anyone to tell these boys that they can’t win this game.

"Oldham will have to enjoy the sort of pressure we have in previous rounds, playing against a side they’re expected to beat. Everyone will have written us off bar our players and staff, we know what we’re capable of and will go and put a performance in.

"I’ve said since day one that we can match and compete with Football League sides, this gives us the opportunity to show exactly what we’re all about. We’ll enjoy the occasion but everyone needs to be clear, we’re going there to win the game."

Oldham have a category three academy and the funding the club receives means youth team manager Tony Philliskirk and his squad train full-time, whereas Chester receive minimal funding and are reliant on volunteer coaches, even so McIntyre is bullish about his side’s prospects.

He said: "The funding Football League sides receive to run academy programmes is unbelievable in comparison to the sort of money we can afford.

"Their youth players are paid scholars and we can only dream of having that sort of money at youth level and I can’t help but imagine what we’d be able to achieve with it.

"We have volunteer coaches, train for three evenings a week and never pay any youth players a penny. On paper, Oldham are a long way ahead of us but we are quietly confident about what we have in our side."

Admission prices for the game are £4 adults and £2 for over-65s and under-18s. Supporters will be situated in the George Hill Main Stand for the game.