Rushden & Diamonds v Gateshead - Match Preview

11/03/2010, by Jeff Bowron

Gateshead will hope to continue their good set of results against Rushden & Diamonds when they take on the promotion chasers in Northamptonshire on Saturday.

Gateshead won 4-0 at Nene Park during the 1996/97 season and then completed the double with a single goal win on Tyneside.

Only one of the five games with the Diamonds have resulted in defeat, 3-2 in 1997, with this season's clash at the International Stadium ending goalless.

While Gateshead's last three league games have produced just two goals Rushden & Diamonds have conceded only one goal in their last seven games.

Five of those games have been won pushing Justin Edinburgh's side up to fourth in the table, the Diamonds having won ten and drawn three of their 17 home games.

"Rushden & Diamonds are an established club who have recently been in the Football League so it will be another tough game," said Gateshead manager Ian Bogie.

"There was nothing in it when we faced them at our place and the table is wide open at both the top and bottom so there is plenty to play for.

"They have a very good defensive record but the onus is on them to attack us and that should leave holes and space that we can exploit."

Gateshead will be without two key players from the spine of the team with captain Kris Gate out for six weeks with a thigh tear and central defender James Curtis completing a two match ban.

Combative midfielder Andy Ferrell is also suspended forcing Bogie to name a new captain for the day and shuffle the pack in midfield.

Alex Francis is favourite to partner Phil Turnbull in the centre of midfield as Gateshead bid to go one better than the goalless draw at Histon last Saturday.

Striker Daryl Clare returns to Nene Park having scored five goals in 12 appearances for the Diamonds during the 2008/9 season.

Another interesting aside is the respective goalkeepers, Gateshead having almost signed Rushden & Diamonds keeper Dale Roberts during the transfer window.

A fee had been agreed between the two clubs but Rushden were unable to secure a replacement for Roberts so the move broke down.

Young Gateshead keeper Paul Farman has had a fine first season at Blue Square Premier level while former Nottingham Forest number two Roberts has been a reliable custodian for the Diamonds.

"They are both good young goalkeepers," added Bogie "Roberts is an England C international while Farman was named Blue Square Premier Player of the Month earlier in the season."

Captain Jamie Stuart and Paul Terry are both available for the home side after bans while Lee Tomlin could be fit to return to the squad.

"We will have Stuart and Terry back so there are going to be tough decisions to make after two excellent away results," said Edinburgh.

"I have always said I would rather have it that way instead of the team picking itself.

"Whoever is left out will realise it's not about them as individuals. The whole team have taken us this far."