Harrogate Town v Gainsborough Trinity: Sulphurites host Holy Blues in FA Cup

Conquerors of League One high-flyers Wrexham earlier this month, the League Two Sulphurites have another live televised tie at Wetherby Road to look forward to, but on this occasion it is they who head into the match carrying the weight of expectation.

A potential glamour tie with big-name opposition in round three is up for grabs, a stage of the competition that Simon Weaver's team have only reached once before - in 2021/22 when they were knocked out by Championship Luton.

On paper, they have the best possible chance of repeating that feat, having drawn the lowest-ranked team left in the competition at home, however such a fixture can only be described as a banana skin.

Currently 17th in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, Gainsborough play their football three levels further down the English footballing pyramid than Town, who also sit 17th, but in the fourth tier.

Having won five and lost six of their opening 13 league fixtures, Trinity's league position is somewhat misleading given that their FA Cup exploits mean that they have as many as six games in hand on some of their rivals - and they head into Friday's match having come out on top in all of their last three games without conceding even a single goal

Trinity set up their showdown with Town courtesy of a penalty shoot-out victory over Hednesford in the first round following on from a thrilling 4-4 draw, which saw Russ Wilcox’s men fight back from 3-0 down to force the tie into extra-time.

But, the Lincolnshire outfit had to win three games just to get to that stage of the competition, starting with AFC Telford United.

Grantham were then dispatched before Gainsborough upset National League North Darlington in the third qualifying round, triumphing 2-1 away from home.

Striker Declan Howe, brother of former Harrogate centre-half Callum Howe, has scored six times in those four FA Cup fixtures to date and will be the biggest danger to Town’s hopes of progression having netted 17 in all competitions already this season.

Friday’s second-round tie kicks-off at the Exercise Stadium at 7.45pm and will be broadcast live on BBC Two.