Cup ties looming for threadbare Gainsborough Trinity
FA Cup and Trophy season is well and truly in full swing with Monday's FA Trophy draw pitting Gainsborough Trinity away at NPL Premier Division rivals Bury ahead of Saturday's FA Cup trip to Leamington.
And the Holy Blues are gearing up for the ties with a threadbare squad after more bad luck with injuries.
“Although again the draw hasn't been kind, we are all really looking forward to the FA Cup tie on Saturday,” said manager Russ Wilcox.
“We know it will be a tough game, but as always we will give it everything to get through to the next round.
“Please make the long journey to get behind us. It makes a huge difference to the players and staff.”
Trinity lost three players to injury during the 2-0 home weekend defeat to Avro, and with the second game of David Robson's suspension still hanging over the important goalkeeper, Trinity are down to the bare bones.
Club captain Bobby Johnson limped off with a hamstring injury soon after coming on as a second half substitute, the experienced midfielder having been nursed through the opening six weeks of the campaign.
Minor injuries to full backs Ashley Jackson and Harvey Sutcliffe may be tempered by the returning Aaron Simpson, but having been injured since the second game of pre-season, his match sharpness is in need of a gradual build up.
The Holy Blues will be hoping for an upturn in fortune on Saturday in a competition that has brought some incredible memories for the Gainsborough faithful.
Reaching the proper rounds of the cup in each of the last two seasons, including famous victories away at Boston United and Hartlepool United, Trinity will be looking to again harness their inner 'Cup Kings' mentality.
With Wilcox reaching his three year anniversary in charge on Friday - he will be determined to oversee a positive showing on Saturday, as he edges nearer to 150 games in charge of the Lincolnshire outfit.
The Bury game will then be played the weekend of the 26th, seven days after the Leamington clash.
Trinity's Travel Club are again putting on coaches to facilitate supporters keen to follow the Blue Army on Saturday.
Leaving the Kal Group Stadium at 11.30am, prices are £20 members and £23 non-members.
Trinity supporters looking to travel are encouraged to buy their tickets online ahead of the game to unlock savings, with on the gate prices of £16 adult, over-60s £12, students £9 (on production of a valid NUS card) and U18s £5.