‘Get behind us’ - Gainsborough boss Russ Wilcox urges NPL support ahead of historic FA Cup tie

The fixture marks Trinity’s seventh in the competition so far this season - a run which has seen them knock out the likes of Darlington and Boston United, two sides in divisions above, away from home.

With the prospect of reaching the third round for the first time since 1887, Russ Wilcox knows excitement is high, not just at the club but in the local community as a whole.

“It’s been 72 years since they were in the second round, so it's great for the club and community. Hopefully we can do them justice and put in a good display,” Wilcox told the NPL.

“The players are very excited, and it’s a good reward for them.

“We’ll be playing on TV as well, so there have been a few haircuts this week, ready for action!”

The Holy Blues come into the second round as the lowest-ranked side still remaining in this season’s competition.

Wilcox believes that the underdog mentality suits his side more, citing their emphatic 4-0 win in a fourth qualifying round replay against National League side Boston United as a prime example of that.

In the last round, despite going in as favourites against Step 4 Hednesford Town, Trinity found themselves 3-0 down with 25 minutes to go, before staging a remarkable comeback to win on penalties.

“The Hednesford game was a good learning curve for us,” Wilcox explained.

“The attention and the pressure was on us, and it wasn’t something we were used to. Hopefully we can handle the nerves better against Harrogate and use that experience in the last round to grow and put in a better display.”

Having said that, Gainsborough boss Wilcox knows that there is little to no expectation for his side as they look to go to the EnviroVent Stadium and cause an upset.

Despite the tall order of knocking out Football League opposition - something which Gainsborough haven’t managed to do in their last 15 attempts - Wilcox is hoping that the magic of the FA Cup can be present in North Yorkshire on Friday, with his side set to be joined by around 1,000 travelling supporters.
“The pressure is all on Harrogate. They’re three leagues above us, at home and a full-time team in the EFL.

“They’ll be up for it too, because there’s a chance to get through to the third round and draw a big side.

“We’ve got to try and get a foothold in the game, something which we didn’t do at Hednesford. We’ll try and keep things as tight as we possibly can, whilst continuing to play with confidence. The first goal will be massive.

“My message to supporters would be to get behind us from minute one.

“The FA Cup is so special, and we’ve been on a magical run. It’s been a long journey for us as a team, and we want to keep going.”