GATESHEAD v STOCKPORT COUNTY
Football – England – Blue Square Premier
Saturday 22nd December 2012 – Kickoff: 1500hrs
Gateshead return to familiar surroundings when they take on struggling Stockport County at the Gateshead International Stadium on Saturday afternoon and they need any kind of advantage they can lay their hands on right now.
Looking at Gateshead’s recent results you’d think that they should have the underdog tag in today’s fixture against Stockport with losing three of their last four matches and just one point from this period which was courtesy of a 1-1 draw at Wrexham. However, the last four matches have all been away from home whilst on home soil The Heed have been very solid indeed in recent weeks having posted back-to-back wins over Woking and Alfreton Town.
In addition, Gateshead have lost at home just once so far this season with a record of 4-5-1 15/9 and Ian Bogie’s men are second only to second placed Grimsby Town (8 goals conceded) in terms of defensive record at home in the division. Gateshead have also accounted for Mansfield Town and Dartford in their other home successes.
Stockport County make their way to Gateshead as they look to avoid a fifth successive defeat following miserable losses against Forest Green Rovers 1-4, 0-2 at lowly Stockport, a 3-4 home loss to Southport and a 0-1 loss at Woking. To be fair, three of Stockport’s last four losses were on the road but here they are again on their travels and up against a Gateshead side looking to convert the three points with home advantage.
Stockport’s away record stands at 2-5-4 11/16 and they’ve conceded 10 goals in their last four matches while they’ve drawn a blank in their last two away matches – not a good ingredient when you’re on the road again at this level.
In fact Stockport have failed to score on five occasions on the road so far this season and when you’re travelling to a Gateshead outfit who have conceded very few goals then they will have their work cut out for them to get anything from this match.
To sum up, Gateshead’s strong defensive unit and good home form should set them back on course following some disappointing results and given Stockport’s occasional shyness in front of goal on their travels, I’ll take Gateshead for the straight win here at good odds – a 2-0 win for Gateshead today.
Pick: Gateshead straight win @ 2.00 Coral
