Crowd to Heed TV clash
Gateshead midfield man Gus Mafuta challenges Sutton United’s Bedsente Gomis during the disappointing 3-0 defeat at Gander Green Lane. Grimsby Town in the Mariners’ promotion season last year.
Grimsby brought 1,600 fans for the Conference Premier semi-final second leg on Tyneside in 2014, which attracted a record 8,240 crowd.
With the title and promotion back to the Football League a possibility for Lincoln tomorrow, a new record away following is expected, certainly in the league.
Lincoln’s John Vickers said: “There is huge interest in this game in Lincoln and fans will not want to miss out if the title is won at Gateshead.
“We will certainly bring more than 2,000 fans and I expect it to be closer to 3,000 – possibly more.”
Gateshead have never broken the 3,000 barrier for a league game - but that could change tomorrow.
A crowd of 2,916 saw them beat Cambridge United in the final regular-eague game in 2013/14 – only to lose out against the U’s in the play-off final at Wembley.
The Heed, whose play-off hopes are over after a run of one win in seven, hope it is a case of third time lucky against the Imps.
An early-season 3-0 defeat at Sincil Bank was followed by a 3-1 home setback in the FA Trophy.
Their chances of spiking Lincoln’s title guns have been hit by the loss of 18-goal top scorer Danny Johnson and first-choice keeper James Montgomery.
Gateshead started the Easter weekend with a 3-0 defeat against Sutton United, manager Neil Aspin looking for an improvement.
He said: “The way the season has tailed off has not been good enough and we don’t want to sees Lincoln celebrate promotion on our own patch.
“We worked hard to get into a position where we had a realistic chance of doing something and the past three games have undone all of that.”
Tomorrow’s penultimate home game against FA Cup quarter-finalists Lincoln is a 3.00 kick-off.