Heed Maid to suffer as injuries hit squad
GATESHEAD manager Steve Watson is facing the toughest period of his first full season in management.
For the second game running the Tynesiders had only 13 fit senior players - and again they lost narrowly.
A 2-1 derby defeat at Hartlepool was followed by a 1-0 reverse at home to third-bottom Maidenhead United.
Only midfielders Tom White and Lewis Maloney are likely to be back for tomorrow night’s six-pointer at home to Solihull Moors.
White has completed a threegame suspension while fringe player Maloney has been playing regularly on loan at Whitby Town.
The player crisis has been exacerbated by loan stars Luke Armstrong and Luke Molyneux returning to their parent clubs.
A transfer embargo has left Watson with his hands tied, though emergency signings can be made if you are down to 16 players.
Gateshead have not taken up that option so far - forcing coach Ben Clark to come out of retirement to be on the bench.
Two rookie academy players were also there as Remy Clerima’s 29thminute goal sentenced a patchedup Heed to another defeat.
It was the Magpies’ only effort on target and Alan Devonshire’s side also failed to earn a corner - but they found a way to get over the line.
For Gateshead it was a first league defeat on home soil since September, a woeful first-half display followed by a much better secondperiod performance.
Watson is hoping off-the-field issues are resolved so the Heed can get back on track.
He said: “You can blame any number of things.
“You can look at anything going on outside the dressing room.
“We will have a look at what we have for the Solihull game.
“We then have a 10-day break to get the lads who are injured fit again and, hopefully, get any in-comings sorted.
“Things are not going our way at the moment.
“We need to ride out this spell. What we cannot do is to start and over-think it all or panic.
“We have to stick to what we believe in, stick to our game plan and our beliefs.”