St Albans City’s assistant manager Lee Allinson is not underestimating the task ahead of his side as they prepare to face Harrogate Town in the FA Trophy but has made one thing very clear – “on our day we can beat anyone”.

The North Yorkshiremen are flying this season in the National League North, the same level as Saints, and sit second just behind Salford City.

They missed the chance to go top when they lost to Nuneaton Town on Tuesday.

But City’s number two believes that his own squad are more than capable of getting the victory at Clarence Park.

He said: “They are a very good side. We’re going to get some reports on them and see what they are about.

“They’re second in what we know is a strong league and I believe they are full-time as well so it’s going to be a tough prospect.

“But the nice thing is we are playing a side we’ve never played before. Neither team knows about the other and I’m sure it will be a good cup-tie.”

The competition hasn’t been kind to City in the last three years, with falls at the first fence to Wealdstone, Lowestoft Town and Whitehawk respectively.

But go back four years and you find their last appearance at this stage, when Cambridge United beat them 2-1 on their way back to the Football League thanks to a 94th-minute winner.

And Allinson wants to go even further this time and believes there is no reason why they can’t.

He said: “Some of the top National League sides don’t take it too serious and if we win on Saturday we’re in the last 16.

“I believe on our day we can beat anyone with the only problem being some days we don’t know what will be out there with our young side.

“But I firmly believe we can beat anyone, be it from this league or the league above.”

Home advantage could play its part too with the backing from the terraces potentially key.

“The fans were magnificent [against Chelmsford on Saturday],” he said. “They turned up and made a noise and that helps.

“We’ll need them on Saturday because it will be tough and it will be backs-to-the-wall at times.

“Harrogate are a good side and we need the crowd behind us because when they are I know it gives the boys an extra lift.”