Venue: The Shay
Date: Tuesday, August 20
Kick-off: 7.45pm
Referee: Darren Drysdale showed six yellow in his first match as referee this season, a 2-2 draw between Notts County and Fleetwood in which he awarded Notts County a late penalty. Last season, he showed 124 yellow cards and and five red cards in 34 games. His only other game in charge of Halifax was their 0-0 draw at Morecambe in the FA Cup on November 10, 2018.
Odds: Halifax 2/1, draw 9/4, Gateshead 6/5
In the league last season
Halifax: 7th – PL46 W19 D14 L13 F58 A50 GD8 Pts71
Gateshead: 6th – PL46 W22 D9 L15 F88 A64 GD24 Pts 75
Results so far
Halifax: Barnet (h) W 2-1, Aldershot (h) L 1-0
Gateshead: Ebbsfleet (h) W 5-1, Woking (a) W 2-0
Manager: Former Newcastle and Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Rob Elliot took charge after the departure of Mike Williamson to MK Dons and has impressively maintained The Heed’s status as a promotion challenger in the table and their goalscoring prowess as a team.
One to watch: Former Carlisle, Darlington and Harrogate striker Mark Beck is on loan at Gateshead from Solihull, for whom he scored ten goals last season, including two in the FA Trophy final against Gateshead at Wembley in May.
Head-to-head: Played 68, Halifax wins 19, draws 23, Gateshead wins 26
Last time they met: Goals from Kane Thompson-Sommers and Milli Alli saw Town win 2-0 at Gateshead in December.
Match facts: Halifax are unbeaten against Gateshead in their last 17 meetings.
Town skipper Sam Johnson will make his 400th appearance for the club in the game.
Gateshead captain Greg Olley will miss the match after suffering a serious injury in their 2-0 win at Woking last time out.
Gateshead’s last win against Halifax was in in an FA Cup tie in November 2000, when The Heed won 2-0 at The Shay.
Gateshead haven’t scored in six of their last seven matches against Halifax.
Tuesday’s National League fixtures:
Woking v Dag & RedBarnet v Forest Green
Southend v Boston UtdYeovil v EbbsfleetYork v RochdaleMaidenhead v AltrinchamOldham v FyldeEastleigh v Solihull MHalifax v GatesheadBraintree v AldershotWealdstone v Sutton UtdTamworth v Hartlepoo
