FC Halifax Town v Exeter City: No League One 'big dogs' but Adam Lakeland still relishing 'juicy affair'
AHEAD of the first-round draw, it's fair to say that Exeter City were not the glamour third-tier opposition who FC Halifax Town would have ideally chosen to be paired with at home, with all due respect.
The two preferred options resided just up and down the road from the Shay in Bradford City and Huddersfield Town.
Equally, Adam Lakeland is grateful for home comforts at least and he also believes that the fixture was slightly unfortunate not to have been designated for TV coverage as well on first-round weekend, to provide the Shaymen with an additional windfall.
He said: "I felt we had a chance and you look at one or two of the other games selected and maybe feel, given the position Exeter are in in League One and the position we're in, it might have been quite juicy affair to put on the TV.
"But obviously the broadcasters didn't feel that way and it is what it is."
As for the draw itself, Lakeland added: "I think there's probably two ways of looking at it, really.
"I think you probably wanted either one of the bigger local League One clubs, with no disrespect whatsoever to Exeter. Getting a Huddersfield or a Bradford, for example, would have been a local derby against one of the local 'big dogs' in League One.
"So you either wanted one of those or maybe somebody from lower down the pyramid at home, so you've got that stronger opportunity of progressing even further.
"But look, it's an excellent opportunity for us against a League One outfit to go and make a good account of ourselves and hopefully we can do that."
Three years ago at the first-round stage, Lakeland was in charge of National League North outfit Curzon Ashton, who took third-tier Cambridge United to a replay before bowing out on penalties at the Abbey Stadium.
With spot-kicks coming into play on Saturday if the tie is level after 120 minutes, Lakeland has confirmed that extra practice will into the equation.
He continued: "Well, it's not been a strong point of ours so far this season because we've missed three penalties in our league games..
"But joking aside, the lads do practise quite often at the end of training, to be fair. Hopefully penalties won't be needed because it's a cruel way for anybody to lose a game of football, but it's an ecstatic way to win.
"So I'm sure that in the days leading up to that game, we'll practise a few just in case."