Part One of the Dream

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 15/02/2013

GRIMSBY take on Dartford at Blundell Park on Saturday in the first of two massive games for the Mariners. The winner over two legs will face either Wrexham or Gainsborough at Wembley in the FA Trophy Final.

Town's main priority is obviously the league (likewise the other three teams who all have a possibility of promotion, some better than others) but the financial benefit of making it to Wembley, plus the day out for everyone associated with the club, make it an opportunity which Town cannot afford to give anything less than 100% to try and achieve.

Unless one of the teams wins overwhelmingly on Saturday, the match is still going to be competitive over two legs (sandwiched by the Braintree game on Tuesday), but Town's main focus will be to win the home leg. Winning by more than one goal would give the Mariners a platform to go to Dartford with a big advantage, but as we regularly see in European matches on TV, a draw or home defeat can be overturned as well in the away leg.

Dartford have already won at Blundell Park this season, a 2-0 win early in the season, when the Kent side where at their peak. Since then Dartford have not been consistent enough to remain in the top five, but they have still got the play-off places in their sights. The fact that they beat Luton in midweek and kept a clean sheet against the Hatters shows that they are not a side to be taken lightly.

Town have a full squad to pick from. Andi Thanoj has recovered from a nose injury, and Jamie Devitt has got over a sickness bug.

Dartford are boosted by the return of former star striker Harry Crawford on loan from Barnet.

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