Watson rallies Heed troops for final push
GATESHEAD manager Steve Watson is looking to end the season with a flourish after a difficult week.
The Heed suffered a fall at the final hurdle in the Buildbase FA Trophy as they just missed out on a return to Wembley.
Watson’s men then cruelly lost their National League game at leaders Macclesfield on Tuesday to an 89th-minute goal.
Gateshead face two games over the Easter weekend, the first at home to Dagenham and Redbridge this afternoon.
That is followed by a trip to Halifax Town on Monday, Watson believing both games can be won.
He said: “We have two games over Easter from which undoubtedly we can take six points.
“We just want to win as many games as we can and if we cannot get into the play-offs, can we finish in the top ten ?
“From where we were when I came in during October, to reach the semi-final of the Trophy and finish in the top ten would be satisfying.
“I would not be completely satisfied because I want to be promoted, but realistically we just have to get as many points as we can.
“I will give the lads the chance to prove to me they want to be part of Gateshead going forward and what I am going to do.”
On-loan Burton Albion schemer Ben Fox, ineligible in the Trophy, misses the Easter programme due to a hamstring injury.
That is a setback for the Heed but former Sunderland wide man Rees Greenwood returns to the 16 after a three-match ban. Dagenham and Redbridge have slipped to 11th after financial problems surfaced and have won only four of their last 16 games. The Daggers, however, are three places and six points above 14thplaced Gateshead, Monday’s opponents Halifax a point behind the Heed. Watson added: “It was a monumental effort at Macclesfield. “The lads gave me everything, they always do, and we now want to get back to winning ways,. “We cannot expect as big a crowd as we had against Bromley in the Trophy, but we need another good crowd behind us again. “We also need to go on a decent run of wins and there is no reason why we cannot start that run against Dagenham.”
I want to be promoted, but realistically we just have to get as many points as we can Steve Watson