Football – England – Skrill Premier Semi Final Play-Off 2nd Leg
Sunday 4th May 2014 – Kickoff: 1630hrs
The venue is the Gateshead International Stadium for the second leg of this semi final play-off between hosts Gateshead and Grimsby Town, and Gateshead hold the slight advantage with home surroundings behind them.
It was a case of job done for Gary Mills’ side as they safely negotiated the first 90 minutes away at a noisy Blundell Park where they had to endure long periods of home pressure and possession but Larkins’ early goal helped settle them down in the first 20 minutes or so, and to go into the second leg still on level terms will be a huge boost for the side.
Now Gateshead host Grimsby in their own back-yard where The Heed have lost just once in their last eighteen matches which is some feat considering the competitiveness of this division and how hard it is to actually get promoted, and this run includes important wins over Alfreton Town, Kidderminster, Braintree Town and Cambridge United as well as holding Skrill Premier champions Luton Town to a draw.
Grimsby Town held the upper hand over Gateshead for large periods of the game on Thursday night but despite pulling level through captain Disley with a diving header to square things up towards the end of the first half, they just couldn’t break through Gateshead’s stubborn defence and keeper Bartlett who had a magnificent game.
They now must travel north east for the second leg without a win from their last three away matches in the Conference. A 0-1 defeat at Dartford and draws with Alfreton Town and Braintree Town mean that The Mariners weren’t firing on all cylinders going into the play-offs and I just feel that Gateshead may just have the edge over them in terms of team confidence and momentum.
It’s also not a good look when there are on-field squabbles between Ross Hannah and Aswad Thomas, and manager Paul Hurst will need to iron these unnecessary distractions out immediately before they surface again on Sunday.
It’s advantage Gateshead but can they convert in front of their home fans on Sunday? Given their solid home form and Mills’ passing game in evidence, I’ll back them to edge this second leg as well as Grimsby’s away form has been a little off lately. Gateshead to edge it perhaps 1-0 but I recommend giving the quarter ball.
Pick: Gateshead AH-0.25 @ 1.96 Bet Victor
