Changes expected for Heed trophy tie
GATESHEAD are likely to freshen their in-form side up for tomorrow’s Buildbase FA Trophy second-round tie at AFC Fylde.
Fylde won the Trophy final in 2019, beating Leyton Orient 1-0 at Wembley. The Coasters currently sit atop Vanarama National League North, four places and seven points above Gateshead.
The Heed, however, have played three games fewer and go into the tie on the back of four straight wins.
They lost 2-0 at Fylde in October but have won their three away games since then at Altrincham, Spennymoor and Curzon Ashton.
The Nash had been unbeaten at home in the league until Gateshead player-manager Mike Williamson’s goal on Tuesday earned a 1-0 win at the Tameside Stadium.
With a big televised FA Cup clash with Charlton on the horizon the likes of Ryan Wombwell, Luke Williams and Paul Blackett could all feature tomorrow.
The second-round tie against Charlton next Friday is an all-ticket affair with tickets available from the Gateshead FC website.
Williamson ( below) has preached the need to acquire a winning habit, the Heed winning 11 of their 16 league and cup games suffering only two defeats.
The former Newcastle, Watford and Portsmouth centre-back said: “Curzon was one of our biggest performances of the season coming on the back of good results.
“It’s all too easy to listen to that noise but the lads have the honesty and the grit to turn up and consistently put performances out.
“It’s been a monumental effort, but that’s what good teams do and we need to be at that level all season.”
Top scorer Macaulay Langstaff has missed the last two games with a knee injury but is expected to be back soon.