Alex boss believes players and fans deserve a trip to Leeds after efforts at Hartlepool

David Artell has told the club’s official website that an away trip to Leeds United in the second round of the EFL Cup is a fitting reward for his players’ efforts at Hartlepool United but it won’t cross his mind again until the fixture comes around.

Ten man Crewe defeated Pools 1-0 on Tuesday evening thanks to Callum Ainley’s well executed volley and accomplished that win after losing defender Billy Sass-Davies in unfortunate circumstances after just 12 minutes of play.

Sass-Davies was clearly pulled first before he was sent-off for a professional foul but Crewe dug in to achieve a fantastic result at Victoria Park.

Artell told crewealex.net: “It’s great to get Leeds but we cannot focus on that until the fixture comes around. It is a proper, Premier League club with a passionate and large fan base. It is certainly one to look forward to but there are three league games to prepare for first.

“I think the draw is a reward for the players and for those fans who came up to Hartlepool on a Tuesday night to support us. The players had to put a right shift in and to win it with 10 men was a great achievement. I thought we deserve to win on the night and a trip to Elland Road is the reward for that.”