Fixture list adds an edge, says Abbott

Jun 17 2009 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

“It will be a tough game, as it always is against Oldham, but it’s a good one for us. It’s another League One side, and they were pushing for the play-offs last time round so I’m sure that they will want to get their season off to a good season and push on.

“We are determined to do the same so I think it will be a good game with both teams going for the result.”

Also delighted with the way the draw panned out was Hartlepool United’s director of sport Chris Turner, whose side was paired with Coventry City. They will travel to the Ricoh Arena for the match, which leaves them with an uphill task to progress past the first round.

“We’d have preferred to be at home obviously but it’s a draw we can look forward to,” Turner said.

“It will be tough for us clearly to go away to a Championship club and it will be a test that we’ll be relishing.

“It’s quite interesting that we’ve been negotiating with Coventry over the summer to try and bring Dimi Konstantopoulos to the club – now there seems a chance he may play against us, you never know.

“Coventry have a lot of history behind them and are a big club but we’ll go there and give them a difficult game.”