With the Hammers once more drawn away, to either Wolves or Kidderminster, Alan admits:
"It is an away game which we would have preferred not to have had - but it is a draw that we are capable of coming through.
"It is two very different sorts of scenarios so we will have to see which one is in front of us, but we will give the respect that is due to both clubs.
"I have a preference but I won't be silly enough to say what it is!
"It is a tricky one to call because there is still a lot of work to be done in the tie itself.
"It does give me the opportunity to see both teams in the replay but I don't really want to make too many judgments until I have seen that."
Of the victory over Wigan that took them to the next round, Alan says:
"It was a good win and we had to defend for long periods - but we defended well.
"It was a shame we gave away a sloppy goal because the defence deserved a clean sheet but it was a back to back win - and it has been a long time since we did that.
"It is something to build on, and hopefully we will start getting a more solid look for us."
Of Wayne Quinn's own goal, he adds:
"He is probably embarrassed having seen it on the TV; it looks worse every time you see it.
"Danny Baker will be pleased; he will have that down for his Christmas collection already."
Alan is pleased David Connolly got on the score sheet and adds:
"He had sound advice from me; I told him the next chance he gets will be one touch and he will score - so he ends up taking about 34 touches!
"He is a goalscorer and to be honest he was pretty cool in the circumstances considering he hasn't scored for a while.
"That was a goal of someone who is confident of himself and that is important for a striker; he has worked very hard for the team and the goal is just desserts for some of that hard work he has had to do when Jermain and Marlon have been about.
"With Jermain out of the side David has got back to the sharp end and got a goal straight away.
"We are very lucky to have the strikers we have got; it is important now to start getting the clean sheets and then we will start getting the wins we want."
Alan says that is good to have Christian Dailly back from illness - a timely return, as he replaced Tomas Repka, who now has a two match suspension, for most of the second half - and adds:
"I took Tomas off because he was wearing the patience of the referee out and the crowd were jumping up and down every time he made a challenge so it would have been silly to leave him on; Christian stepped in and was very assured."
As for Paul Jewell's comment that Tomas should have been sent off in the game, Alan says diplomatically:
"He lost the game and your judgment can get hindered when there is a lot of frustration there."
Alan says that he is not getting carried away, however, and concludes:
"We aren't fooling ourselves; we have got a lot of work to do and it is the first real time that we haven't dominated a game but still come away with a victory."