MATCH PREVIEW: League points at stake against cup specialists

Reds will make the long journey to Lincolnshire on Saturday to take on FA Cup heroes, Gainsborough Trinity, the NPL’s sole survivors in this season’s competition.

And any hopes that Reds fans may have had about the ‘Holy Blues’ concentrating on their forthcoming cup ties, rather than league business, will have noticed their excellent win at Whitby on Tuesday.

Just a few days after that brilliant penalty shoot-out victory in the FA Cup at Hednesford, Trinity quickly got their feet back on the ground with a fine 2-0 success at the Turnbull Ground.

So, one would expect that same level of commitment from Russ Wilcox’s side on Saturday when a big crowd will welcome them back to the Kal Group Stadium for what will be their first home game in the league since mid-September.

Trinity’s reward for that brilliant performance at the weekend will be a tie at Harrogate Town with cup fever already rife in the town after earlier successes against AFC Telford United, Grantham Town, Darlington, Boston United and, of course, Hednesford.

But they are also having a great run in the Trophy and face Chester, at home, next week.  Having played eight matches in the two main cups, they are behind with their league programme and a current placing of 19th is, most certainly, a false position.

I think we all envy the season Gainsborough are having yet, whilst we have the utmost respect for their achievements so far, we are just as keen to improve on our wretched away form at their expense.

Manager, Mark Fell has been spinning plates again this week with success on the recruitment front counter balanced by additions to the injury list.  We just cannot seem to get the boat on an even keel at the moment.

If this week’s recruits make their debuts on Saturday or, in Matty Clarke’s case, his second bow, our playing roster for this season will reach the thirty-mark with only Alex Mitchell and Josh Galloway having featured in all our league games to date.

Trinity completed a league double over us last season, winning 3-2 in Cumbria and 4-2 in the return and we haven’t won at the Northolme in our six most recent visits.  Indeed, our overall record there is one we don’t brag about – just five wins from twenty-five matches played.

But if we can bottle the spirit, discipline and determination, not forgetting an abundance of ability, produced last week, then we go with an air of optimism.

Kick-off: 3pm

Postcode: DN21 2QW