GRIMSBY Town's players will practise penalty kicks today as no stone is left unturned in their quest for a Football League return.
The Mariners will then set off for South Wales ahead of tomorrow's Conference play-off semi-final second leg against Newport County (4.30pm) – their biggest match in three years.
Paul Hurst and Rob Scott's men head to Rodney Parade trailing by a solitary goal following Wednesday's first leg at Blundell Park.
But Hurst insists the tie is still very much in the balance – and says it "wouldn't be a massive surprise" if Town edged a one-goal victory to take the encounter to extra-time, and then spot-kicks.
"Our players have practised one or two penalties, but we'll do more of that today," confirmed the co- manager.
"We certainly won't be spending hours on it because, like we said after Wembley, that doesn't replicate anything.
"We'll have a look at it and let our keepers have a practice – albeit against their own players.
"It's all about how you feel on the day, though. You might have had a really good game, be full of confidence and can put it in the back of the net.
"On the flip side, you might not have had the best of games but you still want to put yourself forward for that penalty."
Hurst believes that last month's shoot-out defeat in the FA Trophy Final, at Wembley, will have little bearing either way.
On that occasion, successive misses from Sam Hatton and Richard Brodie allowed Wrexham to claim a 4-1 spot-kick triumph.
Hurst continued: "At Wembley we went with Sam first, who has been in that position before in a play-off final, and it didn't happen for him.
"With the second one, Richard was fresh onto the pitch and just put it over.
"So there's no guarantees and I guess that's the beauty of penalties for the fans – certainly for the neutrals anyway.
"It's hard to replicate the occasion and the feeling because when you're taking pens on the training ground you're still relatively fresh, not running on empty.
"That might sound daft – a couple of steps up to the ball for a penalty – but that can still be a factor.
"Both sides would like to finish it before then, but it wouldn't be a massive surprise if that's where we ended up going."
