THESE two struggling sides meet again on the last day of the season on Tyneside and Gateshead will be hoping there is nothing riding on the game.
A month of inactivity, and unable to play at home due to the state of the International Stadium pitch, has seen The Heed, now fifth-bottom, hit a downward spiral.
An abject defeat at bottom club Ebbsfleet, whose last win was in mid-November, was Gateshead’s fourth on the spin and alarm bells ring ever louder.
After a poor performance and defeat at Tamworth seven days earlier, Gateshead put in another disappointing display and are fortunate other results went their way.
Ebbsfleet, who remain at the foot of the table, were the only side in the bottom ten to pick up three points, the Heed having games in hand on all the clubs in the bottom half.
Four of the next five games, however, are against top-five sides, starting with Kidderminster Harriers at home tomorrow, weather and pitch permitting.
Gateshead have only played two Conference games at home in the last three months and manager Anth Smith is desperate to get the Kidderminster game on.
Remedial work has been undertaken and a pitch inspection will take place later today, Smith keen to erase the memory of Saturday’s defeat in Kent.
He said: “We are in the mire and need to start playing at home, but I was very disappointed with the performance and result at Ebbsfleet.
“To concede a goal inside three minutes was the worst possible start.
“We got back in it and steadied the ship but created very little in the second half.
“If you continue to concede silly set plays the law of averages suggests the opposition will eventually score, and we conceded comical goals.”
The Fleet, without a win in nine outings, were ahead inside three minutes when on-loan Dagenham and Redbridge striker Josh Scott scored the first of his two goals.
Josh Gillies, who starred for England C against Turkey in midweek, restored parity from Liam Hatch’s knockdown, but Liam Enver-Marum sealed victory when a cross into the box was not dealt with.
EBBSFLEET UNITED: Edwards; Stone, Lorraine, Saville, Gwillim, Payne, Barrett, Phipp, Howe (Bellamy 55), Enver-Marum (Alabi 90), Scott (Elder 87). Subs (not used): Menz, Walsh.
Booked: Payne, Saville.
Goals: Scott 3, 38, Enver-Marum 67.
GATESHEAD: Bartlett; Bore, Clark, Curtis, Galpin, Chandler, Turnbull, Gillies (Brown 71), Donaldson (Cummins 71), Fisher, Hatch. Subs (not used): Nixon, Boyle, Henderson.
Booked: Clark, Brown.
Goal: Gillies 27.
Attendance: 636.
Referee: Adam Bromley (Plymouth).
