Media Watch - Gateshead prepare for mad month on the road
25/02/2010, by Jeff Bowron, Evening Chronicle
Gateshead, who face a six-pointer at home to Forest Green Rovers on Saturday, have been left with a mad March following a Blue Square Premier fixture change.
The relegation threatened Tynesiders will now have only one home game next month after the clash with title-chasing Stevenage Borough had to be rescheduled.
The Hertfordshire outfit are in FA Trophy semi-final action on March 20th forcing the cancellation of the game at Gateshead which will now take place on Tuesday April 20th.
That leaves Gateshead with four of their six games in April on home soil though the final week will prove a real test with Stevenage and AFC Wimbledon both in the promotion shake up.
It is an imbalance of fixtures that Gateshead, who will clock up 2,480 miles on the road in March, could have done without in a season that could go right down to the wire.
Assistant manager Jeff Wrightson said: "It is not ideal because you would prefer there to be a balance between home and away games but it will not phase us.
"We prepare professionally for all away trips including overnight stays in hotels when necessary, and the games have to be played sometime."
Gateshead have picked up a just 11 points from their 16 away games and two of next month's trips are to top of the table Oxford United and 5th placed Rushden & Diamonds.
"If we produce performances like we did when we won 2-0 at Mansfield Town earlier this month we will improve our away record,"added Wrightson.
"It's a double edged sword because, while March sees us on our travels, we have a surfeit of home games in the final month which could be crucial.
"We're also likely to be playing on better pitches away from home as the surface at the International Stadium has deteriorated badly.
"But it's tough on the fans because they won't see a weekend game next month, the only game at the International Stadium being against Wrexham on Tuesday 23rd."
Gateshead begin a tough month with away games at Tamworth and Histon, who are just below half way, and March is completed with a south coast six-pointer at Eastbourne Borough.
The Tynesiders meanwhile will move up to 18th without kicking a ball if crisis club Chester City are voted out of the Blue Square Premier tomorrow.
An emergency meeting at Rushden & Diamonds will require two thirds majority of members clubs to vote for expulsion - as recommended by the Conference Board - which would see Chester's record expunged.
In that scenario Cambridge United would be the biggest losers having done the double over City and Gateshead the main beneficiaries having lost twice to the Cestrians.
Cambridge would slip below Gateshead who would then go ten points clear of Forest Green should they beat the Gloucestershire outfit this weekend.
