DAVID Holdsworth has stoked the fires ahead of the Boxing Day duel with the Mariners by warning they face "a different club altogether."
The Lincoln City boss is desperate to make amends for last season's festive derby defeats which left the Imps nursing bruised egos.
But Holdsworth insists his side possess a much "fiercer mentality" this year compared to the side which lost twice 12 months ago.
"A year has made a huge difference in terms of how far we have progressed," he said.
"When I look back to the fixture last year, sending out an XI I could trust was difficult.
"I was crossing my fingers and hoping for what I would get rather than knowing what I was definitely going to get.
"We only had one fit forward for the game at Sincil Bank and we were shoving square pegs in round holes.
"But I do remember Josh Gowling taking a little knock on the head and going missing for a while.
"It affected his game and he had to go off, but there is a different type of texture in our dressing room now.
"In fact Grimsby will face a different club altogether."
Holdsworth was also quick to highlight the two clubs' apparent differences in budgets, ahead of the rivals' first meeting of the season.
"Grimsby Town have apparently got this, that and the other in terms of finance and we are the poor relation in terms of what we can actually afford," added the Imps boss.
"But there is no doubt about it, we will match anybody in spirit.
"We are at home and we have to do our fans proud, roll our sleeves up and if it means getting among them, then we will do.
"We will go into it fully loaded and, mark my words, we will be ready for them."
