Gateshead welcome Altrincham to the Gateshead International Stadium on Tuesday night, with the two clubs entering the fixture in sharply contrasting form. The Heed sit bottom of the National League with four points from ten matches, while Altrincham have climbed to eighth on 18 points following an excellent recent run.
Gateshead are without a victory in their last eight National League fixtures and have lost each of their last four. Their only league success of the season came during the opening weeks of the campaign, with recent results leaving them increasingly isolated at the bottom of the table.
The Heed’s last five matches have produced one draw and four defeats. A point against Solihull Moors was followed by a narrow loss at Kidderminster Harriers before successive heavy defeats against Southend United and Wealdstone exposed their defensive difficulties.
Southend scored five times before half-time on their way to a 6-1 victory at the Gateshead International Stadium, with David Eguaibor’s late goal providing the hosts’ only consolation. Gateshead then travelled to Grosvenor Vale on Saturday and suffered another difficult afternoon as Wealdstone recorded a 4-0 victory.
Those results mean Gateshead have conceded 10 goals without reply across their last 133 minutes of National League football. They have now allowed 24 goals in ten league matches while scoring only six, leaving them with the division’s weakest goal difference heading into Tuesday’s fixtures.
Altrincham travel north in considerably better shape. Neil Gibson’s side have won six of their last seven National League matches, with a 5-1 defeat away at Woking the only interruption to an otherwise outstanding sequence of results.
The Robins responded to that defeat with successive 2-1 victories over Hartlepool United and AFC Fylde before recording an emphatic 3-0 home win against Hornchurch on Saturday. After a goalless first half, Altrincham scored three times in just nine minutes through Sam Taylor, Charlie Kirk and Jimmy Knowles to secure their third consecutive victory.
Altrincham have scored in each of their last seven National League matches and have taken 18 points from a possible 21 during their recent run. Their improvement has carried them from the lower reaches of the early table into contention around the leading group.
Recent meetings between the clubs have also favoured Altrincham. Across eight encounters during the previous three seasons, the Robins have recorded five victories, Gateshead have won twice and one match has ended level, with Altrincham scoring 15 goals to Gateshead’s eight.
Altrincham completed a league double over Gateshead last season. They recorded a 2-0 victory at the Gateshead International Stadium before winning the return fixture 3-1 at the J. Davidson Stadium.
Altrincham begin Tuesday eighth in the National League with 18 points from ten matches and a goal difference of zero. Gateshead sit 24th with four points from ten games and a goal difference of -18 after one win, one draw and eight defeats.
Tuesday therefore brings together the National League’s bottom club and one of its most in-form sides. Gateshead are searching for their first victory in nine matches and a response after conceding 10 goals across their last two fixtures, while Altrincham travel to the north-east chasing a fourth successive win and a seventh victory in eight league games.
