Five years on from a terrific FA Cup run which saw them host Tottenham Hotspur in the third round, Marine are at it again.
A 2-0 victory over Stocksbridge Park Steels and a 2-1 success against Curzon Ashton saw them safely into the fourth round of this season’s FA Trophy.
There, they awaited Gloucester City, a side from the Southern Premier and a team Marine were expected to beat but a goal in the first-half from Sion Spence rocked them.
The Mariners fought back in the second period and grabbed a leveller when James Potter struck to take the game into extra-time and, after the two sides could not be separated, penalties awaited under the lights at Rossett Park.
Two saves from Everton loanee Fraser Barnsley saw Marine progress 4-3 on penalties to set up a showdown in the fifth round against Tamworth of the National League.
A trip to the Lamb Ground is never easy, just ask Spurs fans who saw their side forced into extra-time in last year’s FA Cup third round with the National League club already seeing off League One sides Huddersfield Town and Burton Albion before them.
The Mariners battled to earn a 0-0 draw after 120 minutes and once more forced the match to penalties where Barnsley proved himself to be the hero, making another two saves from the spot as Bobby Grant’s side marched on.
Up against another National League side, Woking, Marine went into the quarter-finals as underdogs once more.
Finlay Sinclair-Smith’s first-time volley before half-time was enough for a 1-0 victory, however, and with a flurry of late saves from Barnsley, the Mariners clung on to set up a semi-final tie against a third National League side in succession, Wealdstone, who are coming off the back of three league defeats in a row.
The Mariners have never appeared at Wembley – last reaching this stage of the competition in 1992 – and and they may not have a better opportunity of doing so for another 34 years.