AT the sixth attempt, Hartlepool United's television jinx is over; at the 11th attempt they have reached the third round of the FA Cup.

And their reward could hardly be a better one, a trip to Sunderland's Stadium of Light on Saturday, January 3.

Yesterday's single goal victory over Burton Albion was the first time Pool have won a game which has been broadcast live.

How the players celebrated when the draw was carried out in front of them in the players' lounge at Burton Albion.

It means an emotional return to Wearside for Pool's assistant manager Martin Scott, a crowd favourtie during seven years with the Black Cats, and Marco Gabbiadini. There's also a smattering of Sunderland fans in the Pool squad - Mark Tinkler and Paul Robinson among them.

A single goal from Joel Porter, his first since moving to England, was enough to see Pool home yesterday against mid-table Nationwide Conference opposition.

It was a professional job from Pool against Nigel Clough's part-timers and, the odd scare aside, the outcome was rarely in doubt.

Cooper beamed: "I'm sure the chairman is delighted with the draw. It will mean so much to the club financially and I'm sure the fans are already looking forward to it. It's fantastic for everyone and will create a lot of excitement in the area. We knew this game would be a tough one for us and now we have our reward.

"We watched Burton three times, we know they like to play football and pass it around and Nigel has a great set-up here.

"I know our record in front of the cameras isn't too good. But we had a meeting last night and another this morning and I just told them not to be overawed and enjoy it.

"We started brightly, which we haven't done too much away from home, and took it on from there.''

The last time Pool played a competitive game on Wearside was back in 1988, when Brian Honour's corner secured a 1-0 Sherpa Van Trophy win for Pool that bleak night. Cooper named the same team - substitutes included - which beat Swindon eight days earlier. A rare event for the Pool manager, whose liking for changing tactics and personnel has helped propell Pool into fifth spot in Division Two.

Burton opted for a 4-5-1 set-up, with a lone striker in Dale Anderson. They were happy to sit off and allow Pool to pass the ball around in their own half, but were packing plenty of numbers behind the ball.

When Pool broke down the Conference side, they saw a shaky figure in keeper Matt Duke. Perhaps the nerves of playing in front of the cameras was affecting him and his kicking was woeful.

At the other end Micky Barron lost a high ball in the blinding sun and when it was only half-cleared Danny Byrne wanted one touch too many and was clattered by skipper Darren Stride. Burton weren't going to give this one up easily and without a fight.

Strachan was nutmegged by Aaron Webster and the defenders cross from the left fizzed across Provett's goal.

Another cross from the same area, this time from Lee Colkin, had Provett backpedalling to push the ball away from under his crossbar.

Then came the game's main talking point. Eifion Williams surged into the area and appeared to be tripped by Steve Chettle. Referee Phil Crossley immediately blew his whistle - but awarded Burton a free-kick and booked the Welshman for diving.

"Even the Burton players admit it was a penalty and the replays proved it,'' said Cooper.

Humphreys then danced his way into the area and knocked over a low cross which Williams flicked across goal and wide.

Williams was taking up some adventurous positions away from the central defenders, willing to cut inside and run at the centre-halfs.

Pool were starting to take territorial control and Burton's tactic of one up front meant it was comfortable for Micky Nelson and Chris Westwood to pick off Anderson.

Referee Crossley put two Burton players in the book in quick succession, Kirkwood for a lunge on Tinkler and Webster after fouling Byrne.

Pool had a big scare two minutes before the break. Anderson got in behind Westwood after a deft exchange of passes with Kirkwood and tried to take the ball around Provett.

The Pool keeper went to ground late which forced the striker wide, and he ran it too far. Anderson cut it back from the byline and Colkin's fired ball eluded everyone and Humphreys cleared.

Burton forced two early corners at the start of the second-half. Humphreys cleared the first, Tinkler the second, but it landed at the feet of Howard who bounced a low shot wide.

From another corner, Kirkwood got above Nelson and his goalbound header was blocked by Barron at the far post, with the skipper not appearing to know too much about it.

Pool needed their bigger players to start getting a grip of the game and to try to find a way through, Cooper introduced top scorer Paul Robinson for Byrne. Striker Williams moved out wide in place of the on loan Manchester United winger.

The first time Williams saw the ball wide, just seconds later, he played in Tinkler and he was denied by the legs of Duke.

In the early stages there was a hazard every time the ball was near Duke, yet they rarely tested the shaky keeper. But they found a way through the defence and left the keeper exposed on 71 minutes.

The impeccible Nelson started it off from the back, feeding Tinkler who broke from midfield and, as the keeper came out, he squared for Porter to tap into the empty net.

Robinson should have made it two just minutes later.

Through one on one with the keeper he drilled his shot straight at Duke.

The striker had a couple of other efforts to add to the tally, but couldn't find a way through.

"We're gonna win on the telly" sang the Pool fans as the minutes ticked by. The outcome of this one was rarely in any doubt, the prize is one to relish.

Result: Burton Albion 0 Hartlepool United 1.

Read more about Hartlepool here.