WHITBY Town left for Plymouth yesterday hoping to realise a dream tonight and extend their FA Cup run with a giant-killing act against the Third Division table-toppers.

The Seasiders, who took up Leeds United's offer to use their team bus for the 800-mile round trip, know victory could guarantee the UniBond Premier League club another £50,000 windfall.

The club have the added incentive of a home draw against either Bristol Rovers or Aldershot Town in the second round if they overcome the Pilgrims at Home Park.

Whitby will then stand just one round away from a potential clash with a Premiership club.

But the goalscoring hero of their first encounter ten days ago at the Turnbull Ground, Alex Gildea, is an injury worry. The midfielder is nursing a thigh injury picked up in the game against Runcorn on Saturday.

Manager Harry Dunn said last night: "We've got a few injury problems ahead of the game and two of our players, Craig Veart and Ian Williams, are away in Spain. "Stuart Ingrams is a definite non-starter and Alex Gildea picked up an injury on Saturday.

"Both Alex and Richard Dunning will undergo fitness tests ahead of the game. We're hoping Alex will be OK and we'll be pleased to have Richard on the bench." Dunn is well aware the team face a real battle, and the longer the scoreline remains blank the happier he'll be. "We expect to be under a lot more pressure than in the first-leg," he said.

"We have to defend at our very best to stand a chance but upsets do happen in the Cup. We know it will be tough but we believe we can do it." Thanks to the generosity of Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale, the Whitby players, who are usually accustomed to mini buses, found themselves travelling in the luxury normally afforded to the likes of England internationals Rio Ferdinand and Nigel Martyn.

Dunn said: "It was looking as though it was going to be a nightmare until Leeds stepped forward.

"The offer came totally out of the blue but it gives the lads a chance to travel in comfort on a bus of this quality and prepare themselves for the match." The team are under no illusions about the task with Plymouth unbeaten in 17 games and Dunn added: "We had a report from their home game against Carlisle last Saturday.

"They won 3-0 and by all accounts it could have been seven.

"We're just hoping they've used up all their chances for the next few days, and there won't be that many against us.

"The main thing is that we are just going to enjoy the whole two days and have a good go and if we don't win and give a good account of ourselves, I will be more than satisfied."