Hartlepool United caretaker manager Antony Sweeney not looking ahead to FA Cup replay with Wycombe Wanderers

But in order to get that second round tie, Pools must overcome Wycombe Wanderers after the two sides couldn’t be separated at the weekend.

Pools showed their mettle against Wycombe forcing a replay from the League One side with Sweeney’s men perhaps unfortunate not to book their spot in the next round of the competition on the day.

Mark Cullen gave Pools the advantage on the stroke of half time before Chris Forino-Joseph levelled things for the Chairboys just after the hour mark.

Luke Molyneux restored the lead for the home side only for Pools to be pegged back again by Gareth Ainsworth’s men with Joe Jacobson’s spot kick 16 minutes from time.

The Wycombe boss was complimentary of Pools' efforts in the tie, but the stalemate means the two sides will have to do it all over again in seven days time at Adam’s Park for the right to face League One Lincoln City in the second round on the weekend of December 4.

But before that, Pools host Newport County in League Two at Victoria Park on Friday evening, their first league fixture since Dave Challinor’s departure to Stockport County, and will be looking to bounce back from a miserable defeat to Leyton Orient last time out.

And Sweeney was keen not to focus too much on the FA Cup: “There are probably plenty of teams who are out of the competition who would have loved to have another opportunity to go through so we’ll look forward to that but we’ve got a big game coming up first.

“It’s not high on everyone’s travel plans [to go to Wycombe],” Sweeney added.

“I said to the players before the game, you’ve got to make sure you’re in the hat for the second round and if that means a replay then that means the replay.”

Should Pools win next week’s replay, they will receive £22,629 in prize money and have the opportunity to win a further £34,000 with victory over the Imps at Sincil Bank in the second round.

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