Jones wants one of two outcomes in third round FA Cup draw

Hatters boss Nathan Jones has targeted one of two options in the FA Cup third round draw this evening.
Luton celebrate Johnny Mullins' first goal for the club as they beat Solihull on SaturdayLuton celebrate Johnny Mullins' first goal for the club as they beat Solihull on Saturday
Luton celebrate Johnny Mullins' first goal for the club as they beat Solihull on Saturday

Luton are ball number 58 for the draw to be made live on BBC 2 at around 7.10pm, with Premier League and Championship sides now in the competition.

When asked about who he wanted, Jones said: “We’re delighted to be in the third round because a League Two side you have to earn your way there.

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“A good cup run is so, so important for clubs like us, for lots of reasons, but more than not, just to give the fans something to really get behind.

“We have a bit of a theory that either we get the lowest ranked team in the competition at home, or the highest one away.

“If you get another good draw it can take you into the fourth round which lowers the odds of picking up another big side.

“So it’s one of those, but whoever we face we’ll try and get through and see how far we can go, it’s wonderful to get to the third round.”

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Striker Jack Marriott, who netted two in the 6-2 victory against Solihull Moors, was of a similar view too, saying: “We’re in the hat, so I look forward to the draw now.

“Any of the big teams away would be incredible, but, also, we’d like a game that we can win and progress further.

“I’m happy, I’m just looking forward to seeing the draw and seeing who we get and hopefully we can win the next round game as well.”

Asked if he’d like to face former side Ipswich, whom he left for Luton in the summer of 2015, Marriott said: “That would be nice to go back there and play there.”

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Meanwhile, there’s little chance of Stephen O’Donnell’s two picks coming off, as the full back joked: “If we can get Celtic I wouldn’t mind them, but I think that’s the wrong league.

“I honestly couldn’t care, maybe a wee away trip somewhere, maybe Carlisle (who went out to Rochdale) and I can get home.”

Ball numbers: 1, AFC Bournemouth; 2, Arsenal; 3, Aston Villa; 4, Barnsley; 5, Birmingham City; 6, Blackburn Rovers; 7, Brentford; 8, Brighton & Hove Albion; 9, Bristol City; 10, Burnley; 11, Burton Albion; 12, Cardiff City; 13, Chelsea; 14, Crystal Palace; 15, Derby County; 16, Everton; 17, Fulham; 18, Huddersfield Town; 19, Hull City; 20, Ipswich Town; 21, Leeds United; 22, Leicester City; 23, Liverpool; 24, Manchester City; 25, Manchester United; 26, Middlesbrough; 27, Newcastle UNited; 28, Norwich City; 29, Nottingham Forest; 30, Preston North End; 31, QPR; 32m Reading; 33, Rotherham United; 34, Sheffield Wednesday; 36, Stoke City; 37, Sunderland; 38, Swansea City; 39, Spurs; 40, Watford; 41, West Brom; 42, West Ham; 43, Wigan; 44, Wolves; 45, AFC Wimbledon; 46, Wycombe; 47, Millwall; 48, Macclesfield Town/Oxford United; 49, Bolton Wanderers; 50, Blackpool; 51, Stourbridge/Northampton Town; 52, Notts County/Peterborough United; 53, Cambridge United; 54, Port Vale; 55, Barrow; 56, Accrington Stanley; 57, Lincoln City/Oldham Athletic; 58, Luton Town; 59, Sutton United; 60, Eastleigh/FC Halifax Town; 61, Shrewsbury Town/Fleetwood Town; Charlton/MK Dons; 63, Plymouth/Newport; 64, Rochdale.