UP FOR THE CUP: Boldewijn & Georgiou Preview Grimsby Repeat
- Wealdstone FC
- 46 minutes ago
- 3 min read
COULD it happen again? That question must have been on all Stones' fans lips as, incredibly, Sky Bet League Two Grimsby Town were drawn to host Enterprise National League Wealdstone in The FA Cup for the second successive campaign.
This time, though, it's Round Two not Round One - and that means the chance of a Premier League giant next up.
"Spurs away, of course!" smiled ex-Tottenham Hotspur academy scholar Anthony Georgiou, when pushed for his dream Round Three opponent - if lightning does strike twice at Blundell Park this Saturday afternoon.
"It's got to be Chelsea away for me; I loved watching [Didier] Drogba when I was growing up," added Enzio Boldewijn, the Stones' supremely versatile vice-captain, as the pair spoke about last year and this year at the club's Brunel University training facility.
To be fair, those were the final answers of a chat which centred much more around the focus and intensity of the work required to compete with Dave Artell's Mariners this weekend. Boldewijn and Georgiou both started the memorable last-gasp triumph of November 2024, and are therefore very well-placed to discuss the challenge ahead.
"Without a midweek game, this whole week gives us a great chance to zone in on our preparation for Grimsby," said left-footer Georgiou.
"We'll be looking at those small details we might need to change, and that's why players always talk about just focusing on one game at a time."
The ultra-consistent Boldewijn attributes Stones' rock-solid recent form to a great mix of youth and experience in Sam Cox's squad.
"The style of football helps all the players develop and learn here and the group is only getting stronger - you can see that," explained the Dutchman.
Georgiou added: "The group is very, very together off the pitch and that translates onto the field; in those tougher moments, that unity has helped us cope better and come back strongly in matches."
And so to north-east Lincolnshire - again.
Marvelled Boldewijn: "For a start, what are the chances of getting exactly the same tie two years in a row!?
"Look, it's a great chance for us to try and cause an upset like last time. We had to dig in and show a lot of resilience before, and I don't see why things will be much different this time. They're a better team than they were last season...but then I believe so are we."
Georgiou recalled the moment Alex Reid's 90th-minute shot trickled over the goal-line in front of stunned home fans in The Pontoon Stand back in November 2024.
"Everyone was going that extra yard after half-time, because we'd got there at 0-0, and as it went on we just kept feeling stronger and stronger. I remember when it feel to Reidy I thought that was our moment. My mindset, then, was all about holding on and seeing the game out - get the job done.
"We definitely had the right mentality that day, because we were really struggling in the league at the time.
"I don't think we're going into this weekend's with any kind of inferior mindset. Yes, there's a big difference in league placings, but we're entitled to believe in ourselves because we're in good form and we can cause danger."
Added Boldewijn: "They had a lot of chances to score in the first half I remember. By the time we'd got to an hour, and they'd also missed a penalty don't forget, I think we really started to believe there could be something in it for us.
"That's how it turned out; but whatever luck you get during a match, I think you usually earn it somewhere along the line, and no one could say we didn't work hard for each other that day.
"Kallum [Sesay] did this amazing back-flick for the assist while he was lying on the ground! I don't if he meant it, but I'm glad it worked because it saved our legs another 30 minutes.
"If we can get the win again, then I know it'll be the first time in the Third Round for nearly 50 years. What an achievement that would be for the club!"
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