In front of a captive, global audience, the Blues will be looking to spring a shock, and continue the FA Cup fairytale that has really captured the imagination of this small market town in Lincolnshire. Harrogate, currently sit seventeenth in Sky Bet League 2, having picked up 21 points from seventeen games in the league. Those points collected in the form of six wins and three draws. In nine home games, Town have won four and lost five, scoring nine goals, conceding thirteen times in the process.

On the contrary, the Holy Blues have drawn one, and won three in six outings away from home, nine goals scored and seven conceded. Though that only begins to tell half the tale, with such a skewed number of games played in the league, and even fewer matches away from home. The cups provide much more of an insight into the Holy Blues' sharp shooting, with three successive four goal salvos coming in FA Cup and Trophy, a very real indication of the talents possessed by Wilcox's boys.

Last time out, Harrogate secured all three points with a 2-1 away win down at Gillingham. Anthony O'Connor and Josh March grabbing the goals, as Town came back from going a goal behind six minutes into the second half. It's a little longer since Trinity's last game. By the time the sides are kicking off at 7.45pm in front of the BBC cameras, the Holy Blues will have gone thirteen days without competitive action. A whiteout caused the postponement of the Tuesday night game against Warrington Rylands, before a controversial late cancelation put paid to the anticipated home game against Bamber Bridge on Saturday.

Harrogate's four wins in their last ten games compare to Trinity's run that sees the Holy Blues unbeaten in nine, with eight wins coming in those nine games. Bizarrely, Russ Wilcox's men have only played two league games since the last defeat in the league, at the back end of September! Wins against Whitby Town and Workington mean that the league has taken second fiddle for the Blues. Wins away at Darlington, Kettering Town, Boston United, Clitheroe and Hednesford and a home win over Chester FC have seen Gainsborough rack up a quite staggering nine cup games already this season.

Head to Head

Who would have thought that seven years have passed since the two sides used to play each other on a regular basis? The season the Holy Blues came back from behind, under Dave Frecklington, to cause a same division upset. And book a place in the First Round of the FA Cup, would be the last but one meeting between the sides.

In the league, the sides have met 32 times, Harrogate with the upper hand, Trinity winning eight, to Harrogate's 17. The Blues have fared better away from home. Four wins and four draws marginally better than four wins and three draws on home turf. The twist though comes in the form of the two cup meetings between the sides. Back in 1998 Trinity won 4-1in the FA Trophy, and back in 2017 there was the 2-1 victory at Weatherby Road, that is still fondly remembered by those of a Gainsborough Trinity persuasion. Let’s go out and make it a hat-trick of Holy Blues victories. All roads lead to Harrogate!

Preview by Rob Hughes (@AATM_Media)