GRIMSBY TOWN'S march to the quarter-finals has been one of the stories of this season's FA Cup but they will need to shock in-form Brighton and Hove Albion to keep the fairytale going.
The League Two side are the lowest-ranked team left in the competition but have made a habit of upsetting the odds, with an impressive 3-0 win over Championship Luton followed by a shock 2-1 triumph at Southampton in the last round.
Survival is pretty much assured in League Two for Paul Hurst's side, with a 16-point gap to second-bottom Crawley, so they have been able to concentrate on springing Cup shocks.
Grimsby Town have warmed up for their trip to Brighton with successive 1-0 wins over Rochdale and Sutton United but Hurst's defence will face a much stiffer test against the flying Seagulls.
Brighton and Hove Albion are one of England's form teams, with just one defeat in their last 12 games in all competitions. Roberto De Zerbi has taken them to a new level since taking over from Graham Potter and they are just six points behind fourth-placed Tottenham with two games in hand.
If the Seagulls keep up this form then they will be contenders for a Champions League place and they also stand a great chance of lifting the FA Cup for the first time in their history.
After knocking out Liverpool, with a goals bet landing for Slips Tips, Brighton edged past Stoke City to reach the last eight and are now hot favourites to end Grimsby's incredible run.
How the bookies view it
Grimsby Town have been written off, with Coral making them 12/1 to qualify and the odds increasing to 21/1 at SBK for a win inside 90 minutes. Brighton and Hove Albion's best price to reach the semis is just 1/18 at Unibet and they are 1/7 with the same firm for a win in normal time. The draw at 90 minutes pays 41/5 with SBK.
Head to head
These sides haven't faced off since season 2003/04 when Brighton were playing in the third tier. It ended honours even in that campaign, with a 3-0 home victory for Brighton followed by a 2-1 triumph for Grimbsy.
The Seagulls only just edge the overall head-to-head, winning 14 and losing 12, with the other eight matches drawn.
Players to watch
Brighton will do well to hang on to Kaoru Mitoma with the winger turning in some electrifying displays since the World Cup break. The Japanese star scored the winner against Liverpool and is 7/5 with Unibet to take his tally for the season into double figures. Mitoma could also be worth backing for an assist once that market is priced up.
Gavan Holohan has been a Cup talisman for Grimsby, netting three times in their last two ties. He's on the penalties for Town and is 10/1 at SkyBet for another memorable FA Cup strike.
Anything else catch the eye?
With Brighton at home and in such good form it's hard to see Grimsby causing a shock. Backing the Seagulls to win both halves pays 21/20 at William Hill while Brighton -2 in the handicap pays 11/10 with BoyleSports.
The minnows will give it everything and their best chance of getting something will be pressing Brighton high, given De Zerbi's side play a risky game at the back. If they run themselves into the ground it could lead to a mistake in the Seagulls defence so BTTS could be worth a look at 5/4 with William Hill. I also like over 1.5 first-half goals and that pays 21/20 at Coral.
I'd expect Grimsby to fly into a few challenges and it could pay to back a busy day for the ref. I can't see any card markets yet but they should be available soon.
It ended 10-0 to Southampton on the corner count in Grimsby's last Cup tie so Brighton -6 in the corner handicap appeals for this one at evens with Bet365.
This FA Cup match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Grimsby Town will be played on Mar 19, 2023 and kick off at 14:15. Check below for our tipsters best Brighton and Hove Albion vs Grimsby Town prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
