FA Cup: Wayne Hatswell predicted Wrexham-Newport tie

Newport County and Wrexham's staff have already been exchanging text messages ahead of their all-Welsh FA Cup tie.

National League Wrexham will host Newport of League Two in the second round on 30 November to 3 December.

And County assistant manager Wayne Hatswell saw it coming, according to Wrexham boss Sam Ricketts.

"He'd already predicted it," revealed Ricketts, who knows Hatswell through the Football Association of Wales' Pro Licence coaching course.

"I was texting Wayne before and after the game against Weston-super-Mare and he said, 'we'll play each other'.

"As soon as the draw came out we texted each other at exactly the same time."

Hatswell picks up the tale: "As soon as it came up he texted me and said it was my fault!

"I was saying it was going to be Newport v Wrexham but with us being at home."

Newport manager Mike Flynn played against Wrexham in the 2013 Conference Premier play-off final

The FA Cup tie will be the first meeting between the clubs since the 2013 Conference Premier play-off final at Wembley.

Newport secured a Football League return after an absence of 25 years with a 2-0 win which denied Wrexham.

"It's another factor in the game," Ricketts told BBC Wales.

"It's what everyone is talking about and that it's north Wales versus south Wales - there's so many aspects to it and why it's captured so many people's imagination."

Hatswell, assistant to County boss Mike Flynn, said there would be a "great atmosphere" at the Racecourse.

"It will certainly be a tasty affair," he added.

"We're going to go there and play our game and trust me they won't want to play us.

"They'll be frightened of us as much as we fear them. We'll be planning to go there and win."