Lowestoft Town joint boss Ady Gallagher admits he would love the Blues to be this year's FA Cup 'story' but insists the club's main priority is the league.

The Trawlerboys travel to Harlow Town this afternoon in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup as they look to embark on the kind of run that took them all the way to the first round proper in 2008 when they lost to Wrexham.

However, promotion from the Ryman League Premier remains the priority for the Blues management team although victory in the FA Cup could get their season back on track after going three matches with a win.

'The FA Cup is always great but it's a side issue really,' said Gallagher. 'Everyone wants to stay in it as long as they can and everyone wants to do what Hastings did.

'You can't rely on an FA Cup run – we all want a story in the FA Cup, maybe it will be our year to create a bit of a story.

'I hope so because we desperately need to have a change of luck. Hopefully, it will turn for us.'

Curtley Williams could be in contention for a starting place with the former Ipswich Town Academy product making good progress on the knee injury that has kept him out recently. However, Greg Crane will miss out with a thigh problem whilst the Blues cannot count on long-term absentees Dale Cockrill and Jack Defty realistically returning until the new year.

Gallagher admitted the Blues would still like to strengthen their squad but insists the club will be up there fighting for honours once again when more players come back from injury.

'We've just got to keep supporting the boys and encouraging them,' he said. 'We're only a few games in – no-one is really running away with anything.

'We know that once we've got our full squad available and we maybe add one or two then we're going to be very competitive still and get up there.'

Gallagher is keen for the club to lose its 'free-spending' tag this season and insists others that have spent more over the summer have enjoyed similar starts to the season.

'I don't think there should be any doom and gloom around – the reality is that locally I don't think Bury will be too disappointed with the start they've had and they are around us,' he said. 'Leiston with the all the money they have spent this summer I wouldn't think they are too disappointed with their start.

'But for some reason because we haven't won every single game people start to look at us. I don't get it. There are teams spending a hell of a lot more money than we are and we're competing really well with them with a stretched and patched up squad.'