Grimsby boss Paul Hurst is praying for an additional miracle in Sunday’s FA Cup tie at Premier League high-flyers Brighton.
The Mariners turned the primary membership in FA Cup historical past to knock out 5 golf equipment from the next division when securing a surprising upset at Southampton within the earlier spherical.
The Sky Bet League Two membership’s 2-1 win at St Mary’s Stadium noticed them develop into simply the sixth staff from the fourth tier or decrease to succeed in the quarter-finals since 1959.
Hurst stated: “I used the word miracle before the last game and we’re praying for another one.
“It’s a bit surreal, but at the same time I don’t think it has sunk in.
“It will only be the end of the season or in another 10 years when you look back and you look at other quarter-finals perhaps and you think ‘we were there’.”
Hurst’s facet have develop into knock-out match specialists. They beat Plymouth, Cambridge, Burton and Luton earlier than their shock fifth-round win at Southampton.
Last season, they bounced straight again to the English Football League following relegation with wins towards Notts County, Wrexham and Solihull within the National League play-offs, all after additional time.
While Hurst admitted his facet’s unimaginable journey has not but sunk in, he stated Sunday’s problem towards Brighton was “a different level again”.
Roberto De Zerbi’s facet have been one of many Premier League’s stand-out performers this season, climbing to seventh within the desk after one defeat of their final 9 league video games and, within the eyes of Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, enjoying “wonderful football”.
“It’s a little bit frightening in truth, having watched them,” Hurst stated. “We’ve done a lot of work on them and you start to wonder how you set up against them.
“We’ve got an idea, but the reality is a lot of Premier League teams have and they’ve been second best on most occasions.
“Only this week it came out what Guardiola has been saying about their manager and their style of football.
“They might not have the worldwide name of a Man City, Man Utd or Liverpool, but watching them they’re unbelievable.
“It’s been a really interesting watch, maybe a bit scary now that we’re having to try and go up against that.”
Hurst joked he had warned his gamers earlier than exhibiting them video footage of De Zerbi’s facet earlier within the week.
“I’m not trying to scare them, but we went through some of the footage and I warned them it was an 18 certificate,” he added. “It was one of the scariest things they’ll watch!
“We’re trying to find that balance where nothing’s a surprise on Sunday but at the same time, trying to be a bit light-hearted about it. It’s my job to get the balance right.”
