Carlisle United will begin their 2021/22 League Two season with a home clash with Colchester United.

Hayden Mullins' Essex side will make the long trip to Cumbria for the opener against Chris Beech's Blues on the weekend of August 7.

United's first away game comes the following weekend at newly-relegated Swindon Town.

August continues with a Tuesday night trip to Port Vale, a home clash with Leyton Orient and a trip to newly-promoted Hartlepool.

Other key dates on the calendar include the visit of Beech's former club Rochdale on Boxing Day.

The festive period also sees a trip to Salford on December 29 and a trip to Scunthorpe on New Year's Day.

United's all-Cumbrian clashes with Barrow fall on November 13 at Brunton Park and March 19 at Holker Street.

Easter weekend sees a trip to Walsall on Good Friday and a home clash with Mansfield on Easter Monday.

United end their season with a trip to Valley Parade to face Bradford on May 7, after their final home game against Stevenage the weekend before.

The Blues' first-ever league meetings with EFL new boys Sutton United, meanwhile, begin with a first trip to Gander Green Lane on September 25 before the south London club head to Brunton Park on January 29.

Carlisle's midweek commitments include trips to Port Vale, Newport and Mansfield, and home games against Harrogate, Port Vale and Newport.

The Blues' longest trip of the season, to Crawley, falls on September 11 with other long journeys including those to Exeter (November 20), Colchester (February 12) and Leyton Orient (February 26).

FULL FIXTURE LIST (home games in bold)

Saturday August 7 - Colchester United

Saturday August 14 - Swindon Town

Tuesday August 17 - Port Vale

Saturday August 21 - Leyton Orient

Saturday August 28 - Hartlepool United

Saturday September 4 - Salford City

Saturday September 11 - Crawley Town

Saturday September 18 - Scunthorpe United

Saturday September 25 - Sutton United

Saturday October 2 - Forest Green Rovers

Saturday October 9 - Bristol Rovers

Saturday October 16 - Tranmere Rovers

Tuesday October 19 - Newport County

Saturday October 23 - Oldham Athletic

Saturday October 30 - Northampton Town

Saturday November 13 - Barrow

Saturday November 20 - Exeter City

Tuesday November 23 - Harrogate Town

Saturday November 27 - Walsall

Tuesday December 7 - Mansfield Town

Saturday December 11 - Stevenage

Saturday December 18 - Bradford City

Sunday December 26 - Rochdale

Wednesday December 29 - Salford City

Saturday January 1 - Scunthorpe United

Saturday January 8 - Hartlepool United

Saturday January 15 - Crawley Town

Saturday January 22 - Forest Green Rovers 

Saturday January 29 - Sutton United

Saturday February 5 - Rochdale

Tuesday February 8 - Port Vale

Saturday February 12 - Colchester United

Saturday February 19 - Swindon Town

Saturday February 26 - Leyton Orient

Saturday March 5 - Oldham Athletic

Saturday March 12 - Northampton Town

Tuesday March 15 - Newport County

Saturday March 19 - Barrow

Saturday March 26 - Bristol Rovers

Saturday April 2 - Tranmere Rovers

Saturday April 9 - Exeter City

Friday April 15 - Walsall

Monday April 18 - Mansfield Town

Saturday April 23 - Harrogate Town

Saturday April 30 - Stevenage

Saturday May 7 - Bradford City