TOWN striker Giuliano Grazioli knows what it's like to be on both ends of non-League giantkilling acts.

The Town striker scored the winning goal for Stevenage in the FA Cup at the County Ground three seasons ago, but was also at Peterborough when they suffered defeats against lower league opposition.

He said; "I've been on both ends of it. We had all the glory with Stevenage and I've also been knocked out by non-league sides at Peterborough.

"They will be up for it. People will look at the League table and think it will be a push over. Nine out of ten times it would be.

"It's going to be hard and we've got to get at them early on. It's going to be very hard and all the boys know that."

Stevenage were confident of victory that day and eventually took Newcastle to a replay.

Grazioli said: "I remember turning up at Swindon and it was a terrible day and we didn't think the game was on.

"We went out on to the pitch and you could tell that they didn't really fancy it. Our manager Paul Fairclough just said to us that we had nothing to lose.

"Mark Walters scored after about two minutes and I thought 'here we go', but we got one back and I got the winner. It wasn't luck though, because we did it again at Newcastle."

Grazioli is under no illusions that the part-timers from Derbyshire will provide a tough test.

He said: "I think they are all ex-Forest ad Derby players.

"They are going to be fit but we've got to make sure that we are physicaly and mentally ready.

"Everyone knows what the FA Cup is about and we know that it is going to be a battle but we've got to be strong and get through it."

"I would like to be involved one way or the other."

Grazioli is hoping that he can start to turn his season around at the end of the week in which Town boss Andy King has circulated his details to other clubs to see if any are interested in signing him.

Helping to lay the ghost of that Stevenage defeat would go a long way to bringing him to the attention of Andy King, but Grazioli is already a firm favourite with the fans.

That is one of the reasons why he says he is prepared to work hard to make sure he has a first-team future at the County Ground.

He said: "My situation has been put in the papers and I've just got to keep working hard and that's all I can do.

"After doing so well last year, this year has been nothing at all.

"I've been on the bench 16 or 17 times, but that's football.

"Anything can happen so you've got to keep your head down, work hard and see what happens.

He has no desire to leave the club, but realises that he needs to play in the first team, after featuring in the reserves 1-1 draw with Cambridge United.

He said: "I've always been happy here and I'm one of the fans' favourites.

"They don't boo me when I touch the ball. If they did then I would think, fair enough, but you don't want to leave a club when you are treated like that.

"Sometimes you have to look out for yourself because I'm not doing much good sitting on the bench.

"Hopefully it will come here but I've got to get my head down, work hard and see what happens."