Salisbury City 0 Grimsby Town 0

After one week away on holiday, I was given the weekend's big game to cover on Saturday!

Joking aside, it was good fun and while it was sad to see Grimsby playing in the second round of the Cup as a non-league outfit, they and the home side put on a decent show in front of just over 2000 fans.

Salisbury play their footbball one flight below the Mariners in the Blue Square South, but showed they are a decent team and dominated in the first half.

Speaking to former Cambridge United striker turned central defender Brian Dutton afterwards, the man of the match  - who played in midfield - told me:

"I was hoping that Stockport would soften Grimsby up for us in midweek, but then they lost by seven goals so it didn't quite turn out like that!"

Maybe not, but Grimsby may just have used up all of their goalscoring luck in that game because Dutton managed to clear one effort off the line, keeper Mark Scott made one terrific fingertip save and winger Michael Coulson inexplicably skied a six yard shot over the bar with Scott stranded and an open goal begging.

In fact Coulson - who to his credit was willing to face the media - told me:

"I was just going to roll it into the bottom corner and looked up to see it flying high over the bar and haven't a clue how it happened. I'm going to have to watch the television replays to finsd out, but it must have taken a bobble before I hit it."

It was tough on Coulson who was Grimsby's best player on the day, but I suspect that he and his team mates will right that wrong up at Blundell Park in the replay.

Scott looks a decent keeper and is on loan from Paolo di Canio's Swindon. The stopper told me:

"I'm just happy to be playing in the second round. Last year I played for Swindon Supermarine in the first round, but then got recalled before the next tie against Colchester. This time my loan spell doesn't run out until after the third round and so if we go through, I might get to face United!"

Indeed he might. I think though that on Saturday he was talking about Manchester United. By Sunday afternoon the third round draw had been made and the wnner of the replay will face a trip to Sheffield United.

Still, not a tie to be sniffed at by any means for either of these two teams.

While my money would be on Grimsby to progress, if the Salisbury players show as much heart and effort as they did on Saturday, they might well still make the trip to Yorkshire themselves. I just hope that having done themselves proud against Grimsby, they can take this form into their league games and start pushing to join Grimsby in the Blue Square Premier division next season.