The Chronicle (South Tyneside and Durham)
Watson insists depleted Heed are up for the Cup
GATESHEAD switch their attention to the FA Cup tomorrow and a second-qualifying-round home tie against Bradford Park Avenue.
It is an all-national League North clash, Avenue with four points from their opening five league games.
The Yorkshire outfit is looking for a quickfire North East double, its only win a 2-1 success at Darlington earlier this month.
Despite a lack of numbers Gateshead have started the season well with three wins and just one defeat from their first six games.
They have scored three goals in three of those games and have won both of their matches at the International Stadium.
Maintaining their 100% record on home soil will see the Heed bag £3,375 in prize money with £1,125 going to the losers.
Gateshead kicked off their ill-fated 2020-21 campaign with a narrow FA Cup defeat at Chorley, who went on to reach the fourth round.
Gateshead negotiated the three qualifying rounds the previous season - only to lose narrowly at home to League Two outfit Oldham Athletic.
The Heed played well that day and were unfortunate to be beaten, assistant manager Ian Watson keen to embark on another run.
He said: “We have had three long away trips so we were hopeful of a home draw and playing in front of our supporters.
“We feel any game at home is winnable so it was a positive draw for us.
“We are looking, hopefully, to put a cup run together like we did a couple of years ago when the fans really got behind us.
“The first-round game against Oldham is something we would like to revisit and we want to go as far through the rounds as we can.”
One of Gateshead’s 16 games before the 2020/21 season was cancelled saw them win 2-1 at Bradford PA last October. Avenue’s recent record on Tyneside is a good one, winning two and drawing one on their last three visits.
If the scores are level at fulltime there will be a midweek replay in Yorkshire, something the Heed will want to avoid.
They will again be down to the bare bones with four senior players currently sidelined.
We are looking hopefully at putting a cup run together like we did a couple of years ago Heed’s Ian Watson