JOINT boss Paul Hurst is preparing for another strange afternoon patrolling the Grimsby Town technical area without colleague Rob Scott against York City on Saturday.

Hurst was without his managerial side-kick in the dug-out as Town came from behind to beat Bath City on Tuesday and progress to the FA Trophy quarter-finals.

Scott was forced to watch from the stands as he began a two-match touchline ban for improper conduct following his sending-off in the home league fixture against the Romans last month.

And while it didn't affect Town's impressive unbeaten form of 2012 as they made it seven wins and a draw to start the year, Hurst admits it was unusual without Scott alongside him – and that it will be again at Blundell Park this weekend.

If found guilty of a third charge this week for his post-match comments, Scott could even see that ban extended.

He said: "It was different without Rob down there on the bench.

"Sometimes you will have a chat and you see different things in a game.

"Rob may be concentrating on one area and me another.

"It's not like being a fan on the side, you don't always follow the ball.

"Between us we look to cover more bases.

"Everyone knows we have different styles, but it works.

"We have one more game to go on Saturday so, hopefully, we can do well again.

"In terms of the players, they know what we expect regardless of who is on the touchline.

"They may not have had Rob shouting at them from the dugout, but I'm sure they had a few words ringing in their ears from half-time and Rob's voice was still in their heads in the second-half. The important thing was to get through.

"We won't count our chickens but it's good to get a home draw in the last eight.

"It's a good one for us to look forward to against either York or Ebbsfleet."

Hurst admitted the side weren't at their fluent best at Twerton Park but feels that may have been down to having 10 days without a game or full-blown training in the icy conditions.

He's hoping that midweek Trophy tie has now set them up for a big home league game against the fourth-placed Minstermen.

He added: "We went down to Bath to get through and managed that which was pleasing.

"I was delighted the game went ahead because we looked rusty.

"It's not making excuses but haven't played for what has seemed like an age to us and training-wise, it hasn't always been the sessions we would have wanted had conditions been better.

"We only played in patches on the night.

"We started the game really well and it may have been different had we taken one of the early chances.

"Bath got themselves in front and we were sloppy for about half an hour of the first half.

"It's always pleasing to get a goal from a set-play; we emphasise the importance of those and Elds did well to get in front of the keeper to score.

"Then Duffs came on and got the winner for us.

"I'm sure there were one or two of the fans, who were superb to travel all that way in cold and horrible conditions, who were surprised we took Liam off.

"That wasn't with Saturday in mind; it was because we felt it was the right change to make and, fortunately, it paid off."