Match Details
Next Match
Gateshead play in front of the TNT Sports cameras for the second time this season when FC Halifax Town visit Gateshead International Stadium on Saturday, December 16 (12:30pm kick off).
The Heed face last season’s Isuzu FA Trophy final opponents in the early kick-off with a slight advantage in terms of league position, sitting fifth in the National League table while Halifax lie four points behind in ninth.
Rob Elliot’s side have won four of their last five fixtures in all competitions following Tuesday’s 5-1 FA Trophy win over Rochdale, scoring 16 goals in the process.
The FA Trophy will see new winners crowned this season following Halifax’s exit against Altrincham via a penalty shoot-out in midweek, which was a repeat of last season’s semi-final tie.
The Shaymen look to rebound from a rough run of results in their last five games, winning once and failing to score in three of those fixtures.
The latest meeting on Tyneside sees two of the division’s polar opposites meet style-wise, with Gateshead’s average goals per match (3.5) being the joint-second highest in the league, while Halifax’s two is the joint-lowest alongside Kidderminster Harriers.
Heed View
“If anything, we’re addressing the fact that because it’s TV doesn’t change how we play,” said Elliot.
“Looking back to the Oldham game we maybe got carried away trying to impress, but our strength is our group, our structure and how we play as a team.
“The recent record [against Halifax] hasn’t been good enough from our point of view.
“If we want to take ourselves to a level where we’re consistently at the top of the table, then we need to make sure we get performances and results against teams like Halifax.”
Opposition View
“Since Gateshead returned to the National League we’ve played them four times so far and they’ve yet to score against us so we want to maintain that run,” Halifax boss Chris Millington told the Halifax Courier.
“We play well against the better teams, our record is strong against top-half teams both last season and this.
“Gateshead will do everything they can to shift us about, to try and move our defenders out of position and exploit us.”
Team News
Tom Allan faces a late fitness test after being withdrawn through injury on Tuesday night, while Greg Olley and Robbie Tinkler remain long term absentees.
Live Commentary
Commentary is available online via YouTube, provided by the Heed Army Podcast.
Club Shop
Supporters can browse an array of club merchandise at Gateshead International Stadium – located in the main reception area – on Saturday, December 16 (from 11am) and Sunday, December 17 (11am-1pm), including:
- Replica shirts*
- Hats
- Christmas stocking fillers
- Special offers on selected training tops, shorts, waterproof jackets and older club stock
- A huge match programme sale, and more
*Home and away shirts only. Home shirt sizes medium and large are currently out of stock, though all other sizes are available.
Supporters can also purchase merchandise via the club’s official online store here, with orders required to be in place before midnight on Monday, December 18 to be delivered before Christmas.
Ticketing Information
Tickets can be purchased online or on the gate at Gateshead International Stadium, with admission priced at:
Adult: £20
Concession (65+, Blue Light, Armed Services or Veteran): £15
Young Adult (17-21): £10
Youth (15-16): £5
14 & Under: Free (must be accompanied by a paying adult)
Turnstiles will open to all supporters at 11:15am.
Segregation will be in place, with FC Halifax Town supporters seated in the East Stand.
Home supporters can purchase tickets online here, or on the gate via cash or card.
FC Halifax Town supporters can purchase tickets online here, or on the gate via cash or card.
Tickets purchased online are not posted to supporters and must be either printed at home or shown via smartphone upon entry.
Substitutes
Gateshead were left disappointed in front of the TNT Sports cameras as FC Halifax Town extended their unbeaten streak against the Heed.
It is now 17 games without a win against Halifax in all competitions – a run of form Rob Elliot’s men will be looking to put a stop to in 2024.
Kane Thompson-Sommers opened the scoring for the visitors with a well-worked finish in the 35th minute, before Millenic Ali tucked away an unassimilable second with 20 minutes to go.
Former Halifax man Billy Chadwick started up top, alongside the prolific Marcus Dinanga, while Elliot opted for Archie Mair in goal in place of the young Harrison Bond, who had impressed during the midweek cup tie against Rochdale.
A nice spell of play saw Stephen Wearne unmarked near the Halifax box, who guided a pass to Regan Booty before he aimed his shot at Sam Johnson, but Jordan Keane was there to stop things.
Callum Whelan and Kyran Lofthouse worked well together as they crafted a fantastic chance for Chadwick on the edge of the 18-yard box which Johnson caught.
The Shaymen took the lead through Thompson-Sommers who cut inside past Booty with lots of space, and he launched an unstoppable curling rocket into the top corner.
Lofthouse and Booty tightly combined in the box and it appeared as if the latter’s finish was heading in, but Adam Senior was on guard and prevented an equaliser with a superb block.
Gateshead started the second-half with renewed energy – Jobe’s looping pass cut through the middle third and reached Wearne threateningly down the left-hand flank.
His pass found Chadwick, whose shot deflected into Dinanga’s path but his header couldn’t connect as strongly as he would have liked.
The Heed continued to press for an equaliser, but time and time again chances fell apart in the final third, which forced Gateshead into restarting their space-finding processes deeper up the field.
Halifax grabbed their second from an intuitive counter-attack on the 70th minute mark.
Alli was unstoppable as he charged down the right-hand side from deep in their half, before netting a second goal many fans would argue was deserved.
Hannant was brought on late in the second-half and created arguably the Heed’s strongest chance, with his curved thunderbolt striking the crossbar five minutes before the end.
The result leaves Gateshead fifth in the Vanarama National League table for the time being, just one point ahead of today’s winners.
Up next is Oldham before a double-header at home and away against York City, and Rob Elliot will be hoping for the Tynesiders to get back on track as they push for a play-off place.
Gateshead: Mair, Richardson, Storey (Hannant 79’), Jobe, Lofthouse, Wearne, Francis, Whelan, Booty, Chadwick, Dinanga.
Substitutes: Bond, Grayson, Pani, McBride.
FC Halifax Town: Johnson, Stott, Senior, Keane, Hunter, Thompson-Sommers, Galvin, Golden, Alli (Oluwabori 87’), Wright (Cooke 74’), Cosgrave (Harker 59’).
Substitutes: Cappello, Wilson.
Goals: Thompson-Sommers (35’), Alli (70’)
Attendance: 1,303 (140 away)