Hatters boss knows a 'sexy tie' would be an added incentive for Luton and Grimsby in FA Cup replay

Luton boss Rob Edwards knows that the possibility of ‘sexy tie’ in the FA Cup fifth round could be a huge incentive for both his side and Grimsby when going into their fourth round replay next week.

The draw will be made live on BBC One at around 7pm this evening, with the Hatters and the Mariners ball number six after a 2-2 draw at Kenilworth Road on Saturday.

Premier League giants Manchester United and Manchester City are still in the pot, as are former winners Spurs, plus Brighton & Hove Albion, who knocked out holders Liverpool yesterday, along with Southampton, now managed by former Town chief Nathan Jones.

With both sides heading to Blundell Park knowing exactly who they would be coming up against, Edwards said: “It will be another added incentive if there’s a little bit of a sexy tie, but we want to win the game anyway.

"I think we showed that, we showed that in the last round (against Wigan), we showed that again today.

"The team, the squad that we picked, the way we performed, we’re going to want to go and do it up there as well.”

On whether the opposition that awaits them would be something that motivates their League Two hosts even more, the Luton manager continued: “I would assume it will, I suppose for any club there could be any number of reasons, whether it’s financial, the glamour side, whatever it might be.

"I can’t speak for them, but it could well do.

"They’ll be right up for this game first, they’ve got an opportunity to beat a Championship team at home now and they’ll seeing that as a real opportunity for them and we’ve got to make sure we don’t let that happen.”

Town had chances in the second half to ensure they were already in the hat by themselves, but failed to take them, and were indebted to a late block by Fred Onyedinma for keeping their dreams of a money-spinning tie alive.

Edwards added: “It’s the hardest part (scoring), we’re averaging a decent number of goals per game since we’ve come in, we’re getting a couple of goals pretty much every game, so we know we’re a threat.

"The keeper’s made a couple of really good saves, I don’t know how he’s saved Carlton Morris’s chance, his header, so we got into good areas, but when a team defends for their lives, with numbers, it’s really difficult.

"It’s the hardest thing in football to score a goal, so we’ll have a look back and I’m sure there’s things we can do better.

"We made positive substitutions, we were positive with our play, tried to get it in the box as much as possible, but when there’s a lot going on in that box, it’s difficult to find that last touch.

“You’ve got a team up against you trying to stop you do what you do, so we’ve got to go again.”

Ball numbers: 1, Tottenham Hotspur; 2, Southampton; 3, Wrexham or Sheffield United; 4, Ipswich Town or Burnley; 5, Manchester United; 6, Luton Town or Grimsby Town; 7, Derby County or West Ham United; 8, Stoke City; 9 Blackburn Rovers or Birmingham City; 10, Leicester City; 11, Sheffield Wednesday or Fleetwood Town; 12, Manchester City; 13, Bristol City; 14, Brighton & Hove Albion; 15, Fulham or Sunderland; 16, Leeds United.