Russell Wilcox promises Gainsborough will ‘give it a good go’ against Accrington

Gainsborough fans’ expectation levels for Sunday’s home FA Cup tie against Accrington are soaring, but there will be no bullish proclamations from no-nonsense boss Russ Wilcox.

Trinity reached the second round for the first time since 1952 last season and hopes are high that the seventh-tier club can repeat the feat by ambushing their Sky Bet League Two opponents at the Kal Group Stadium.

Last season’s historic cup run was halted in a narrow 1-0 defeat at Harrogate and 61-year-old former Scunthorpe defender and manager Wilcox prefers not to blindly beat the drum.

He told the PA news agency: “We’ll make sure we don’t get too carried away with it all. We are three leagues below them and they are full time and train every day.

“So it’s a really big challenge for us, but we don’t fear it. We respect them massively because they are a League Two outfit, but we’ll give it a good go.”

Trinity reached the first round proper for the second successive season earlier this month by winning their fourth qualifying round replay 3-1 at National League side Hartlepool, having also beaten Corby Town, Rushall Olympic and Dunstan along the way.

“We have to be at our max and hope Accrington have an off-day,” said Wilcox, whose side are fifth in the Northern Premier League, 56 places below John Doolan’s Accrington.

“I don’t want to build it up too much and say we’re going to do this and that because we’re playing against a League Two team that have got a really good, experienced manager themselves and a really experienced assistant manager (Ged Brannan) as well.

“They’ve both been around the block and know what the game’s about. So we’re under no illusions how difficult the task is.

“But it’s 11 v 11 and strange things happen in football. We’re hoping Sunday’s one of those days.”

Trinity’s supporters have grown accustomed to such days during their last two FA Cup campaigns.

A memorable 4-0 fourth qualifying round replay win at Lincolnshire rivals Boston last season earned Gainsborough the local bragging rights.

Wilcox’s side then sealed a place in the second-round draw for the first time in 72 years with a stunning come-back from 3-0 down at Hednesford.

Gainsborough defender Will Lancaster’s last-gasp 30-yard thunderbolt sent that tie to extra time and with the score locked at 4-4 after 120 minutes, the Holy Blues held their nerve to win 5-4 on penalties.

Wilcox said the revenue from last season’s cup heroics enabled the club to fund the summer signings of defender Adam Crookes and striker Johnny Margetts, while the competition appears to bring out the best in his current squad.

“We’re usually the underdog and you do seem to get that extra 10-20 per cent from the players,” Wilcox added.

“They’ll run through a brick wall against Accrington. We should do it every game, but it does add that little edge to them.

“It’s a great achievement to get to the first round proper and we’ve done it two years running now. To reach the second round again would be special.”