If it is to be our year in the Johnstones Paint Trophy, we'll have to do it the hard way, by winning at least one home match. The effort and determination put into the Wycombe game was immeasurably better than that shown against Bury, but the result was depressingly similar. Our worst trot from the start of a season? Five home defeats on the bounce, in 1947-8.

Given our opponents' current condition we will never get a better chance of first-round progress. Their form so far this season has seen them draw and lose one game both at home and away.They've conceded five goals away already, but we've shipped four at home so far, so that can only mean one thing: pens after a nil-nil draw!

Trevor Carson misses the game through international call-ups; he's playing with the Northern Ireland under-21 team. This is the sort of game where I'd expect Tommy Lee to have been given an opportunity, anyway. Since we have to play a majority of first-teamers and since we also have pressing need of a win, I wouldn't expect a huge number of changes. Jack Lester is back in contention and Rob Page is likely to return after missing the Wycombe game.

What of the Mariners? Youth international defender Javan Vidal chose a funny old time to leave Manchester City on loan, and he is expected to be named in Grimsby's side. He was one of only five deadline-day movers to arrive at a League Two club. Want-away striker Martin Butler may also feature. Butler feels the strain of travelling from his Worcester home.

Past form: we lost 1-0 to Grimsby at Saltergate in this competition in 1997-8, in front of 1.128 supporters. That season marks the last time we beat them at our place, though, since we won 1-0 in the league. Since then, it's been a draw and a defeat. With only the one home win over them since 1976, so I'd say we owe them a defeat.

The game kicks off at 7.30pm. It is straight to pens if its a draw after 90 minutes. As usual, there will be full match commentary on Spireites World, with Richard Stacey and Paul Fisher doing the honours.