With an FA Cup replay on the backburner, Guiseley face a tough test in another knockout competition on Saturday with Whitby Town travelling to Nethermoor for an FA Trophy third qualifying round tie.

High-flying Blue Square Bet North outfit Guiseley will start as favourites against Whitby, who are struggling in the Evo-Stik League Premier Division, but Lions boss Steve Kittrick does not see it that way.

“We got to the quarter-finals last season, and we would love to go further this time, but Whitby are a good side and will come here feeling we are a massive scalp to take,” said Kittrick.

“They will be thinking about beating a Conference North side and money in the bank, so it is a big game for them and they will be up for it.”

Guiseley’s last opponents were Blue Square Bet Premier club Barrow in the FA Cup. The Lions let a 2-0 lead slip and must travel to Cumbria on Tuesday for the replay as they look to play in the second round for the first time in their history.

Kittrick is so thorough that he invariably runs the rule over Guiseley’s opponents, especially from other leagues in cup competitions. A hectic schedule has prevented him from doing that this time but his preparation has still been intense.

“I haven’t had the opportunity to go and watch them play but I have spoken to friends and old acquaintances who manage in their division, so I have a bit of insight into how Whitby are playing at the moment,” he said.

“It is always the same at this time of the year, when it all seems like cup competitions. But we take them all very seriously and want to progress.

“It’s the old adage – one game at a time. The Whitby game is the one we have got to look at and not past it. The replay at Barrow is after that and then we have to pick up back in the league.

“Everyone is fit and raring to go at the moment, so that is half of the battle.”