MANAGER Michael Flynn is determined not to let the FA Cup third round clash with Leeds United distract his Newport County AFC team from the task in hand in League Two.

County were presented with a home tie against Championship giants Leeds in Monday night’s draw, with the match to be played over the weekend of January 6.

Flynn described it as a “great draw” and the Exiles will expect a sell-out crowd at Rodney Parade.

But, with six league matches to play before then, the boss will do everything he can to ensure that the focus is on maintaining a play-off push over the next month.

Flynn says he won’t let anyone look beyond this Saturday’s home clash with Carlisle United.

“We don’t want it to be a distraction and it won’t be,” he said.

“I’ve got a great bunch of boys here and the players and staff will all talk about the Leeds draw but then we’ll focus on Carlisle.

“We’ll be thinking of nothing else other than this Saturday because if we can go into the Leeds game on the back of some good results then we’ll be 100 per cent confident.”

Flynn’s preference ahead of the third round draw was for an away tie at one of the Premier League superpowers to maximise the financial windfall for the club.

But he’s delighted to be welcoming the former English league champions and European Cup finalists to Newport.

The tie will also give the Exiles a chance to avenge the 5-1 defeat they suffered at Elland Road in the Carabao Cup second round in August.

South Wales Argus:

“It’s a great draw for us because we’re at home,” said Flynn.

“If we weren’t going to get one of the big boys away we wanted a home draw.

“It should be a sell-out and hopefully we can take a few more chances that we did in the last game against them. It will be lot closer.

“I’ve messaged the director of football at Leeds and he’s said some very complimentary things.

“They were very impressed with the way we went about things up at Leeds and they’re looking forward to coming to us.

“It’s going to be a tough challenge but it will be a proud day to welcome a team of Leeds’ stature to Rodney Parade.

“We want to play against the big teams week in and week out and keep Newport going in the right direction.

“Hopefully we’ll have more of these days.”

Flynn was speaking at the 2017 Wales Sport Awards where he was nominated for the Coach of the Year prize following last season’s Great Escape.

County won seven of their final 12 matches to avoid relegation by two points and are currently ninth in League Two after 20 games, two points below the play-off places.

Fellow Newport native Christian Malcolm won the award at the Celtic Manor for his work with the Team GB relay teams.

“It’s a tremendous honour and I’d like to thank the players and my staff for putting me in the limelight,” said Flynn.

“And if I was to lose it’s nice that another Newport lad, somebody I grew up with, won it.

“I’m proud of Christian and everything he’s done in his career and for me it’s just nice to be up for an award.

“Fingers crossed I’ll be up for it next year as well, hopefully in better circumstances and nothing as nail-biting as it was last season.”