Gateshead v FC Halifax Town preview

Venue: Gateshead International Stadium

Date: Tuesday, March 7

Kick-off: 7.45pm

Odds: Gateshead 17/20, draw 11/5, Halifax 14/5

Referee: Aaron Bannister is in his first season officiating at National League level and has shown 42 yellow cards and two red cards in 12 games in the division. Took charge of Halifax's 1-0 win at Solihull in November as well as Gateshead's 1-1 home draw and 2-0 away defeat against Notts County earlier this season.

In the league this season

Gateshead: PL32 W7 D11 L14 F39 A50 GD-11 Pts31

Halifax: PL34 W11 D8 L15 F34 A40 GD-6 Pts41

Last five games

Gateshead: Oldham (a) D 2-2, Southend (a) L 1-0, Oldham (h) W 2-1, Maidstone (a) D 1-1, Chesterfield (h) L 1-2

Halifax: Boreham Wood (a) D 1-1, Solihull (h) D 1-1, Maidenhead (h) L 1-0, Wealdstone (h) W 5-0, Dorking (a) D 0-0

Scorers

Gateshead: Adam Campbell (9), Dan Ward (6), Danny Elliott (6), Owen Bailey (6), Paul Blackett (4), Greg Olley (4), Kamil Conteh (4),Will Harris (4), Dan Jarvis (2), Robbie Tinkler (2), Kenton Richardson, Tom Allan, Conor Carty, Marcus Dinanga, Lirak Hasani

Halifax: Mani Dierseruvwe (10), Rob Harker (6), Jamie Cooke (6), Milli Alli (4), Jordan Slew (2), Kian Spence (2), Jesse Debrah (2), Tylor Golden (2), Jamie Stott (2), Harvey Gilmour, Angelo Capello, Festus Arthur, Matty Warburton, Yamen Osawe

Manager: Former Newcastle defender Mike Williamson joined Gateshead as a player in 2018, guiding them into the play-offs as boss in 2020 before securing promotion last season, leading him to be linked with the vacancies at Barrow, Hartlepool and Notts County over the summer.

Last season: 1st in National League North

One to watch: Midfielder and captain Greg Olley recorded 28 assists in all competitions last season and was named in the National League North team of the season.

Head-to-head: Played 64, Gateshead wins 26, draws 21, Halifax wins 17

Last time they met: A brace from Mani Dieseruvwe earned Town a 2-0 win over Gateshead at The Shay in September.

Match facts: Only Yeovil have scored fewer goals in the National League this season than Halifax (34)

Three of Gateshead's last four goals have been own goals, with striker Marcus Dinanga the only Gateshead player to find the net in their last four matches.

Halifax have only won on one of their last seven visits to Gateshead, excluding penalties

Only three teams in the National League have lost more away games than Halifax (10)

Halifax have only won once in their last nine away matches, and have only won once in their last eight games home or away.

No team has won fewer home games in the National League this season than Gateshead (3)

Halifax come into the game having kept back-to-back clean sheets in the league for the first time this season. If they keep a clean sheet on Tuesday, it will be the first time they'll have had three consecutive clean sheets in the league since October 2021.

Halifax have only scored more than once in an away league game once this season.

Tuesday's National League fixtures:

Gateshead v Halifax

Bromley v York

Southend v Chesterfield

Yeovil v Eastleigh

Maidenhead v Boreham W

Oldham v Woking

Dorking W v Barnet

Wealdstone v Maidstone

Scunthorpe v Altrincham

Solihull M v Torquay

Dag & Red v Wrexham