Gateshead (23rd) v Southport (8th)
Football : England : Blue Square Premiership
Tuesday 7th September 2010 – Kickoff 7.45pm

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The International Stadium at Gateshead is the scene of my next tip as I delve into the Blue Square Premiership for a midweek fixture.

It's another clash of two teams that were recently promoted to the Conference from the Blue Square North, with Southport looking to avenge a 3-0 defeat to Gateshead in last season's FA Cup Fourth Round Qualifying.

Gateshead will be looking to get back on track as quickly as possible following their 0-5 rout at Cambridge United at the weekend. Normally, most teams would be looking forward to the relative safe haven of being back at home in front of their supporters, but Gateshead have not only yet to win at home, but score a goal at home as well.

Gateshead have drawn a blank in their opening two home matches, drawing 0-0 against Kettering Town, and then going down 0-2 to Fleetwood Town. Indeed, their away form has shown more promise to date; a 3-1 win away at Barrow was then followed by a 1-1 draw at Forest Green Rovers. However, they then came up against Darlington (lost 0-2) and promotion candidates Cambridge United (lost 0-5).

Ian Bogie's men have obviously found it hard to score goals at home, while he will be looking for a vast improvement at the back in response to Saturday’s mauling. To be fair though, I'm not placing Southport in the same category as Cambridge United who have the likes of strikers Daryl Clare, Conal Platt and former Leyton Orient forward Wayne Gray at their disposal.

Southport have made a solid start to their new Premiership season despite a 0-1 opening day reverse at home to AFC Wimbledon.
Since then, The Sandgrounders have strung together a five match unbeaten run – 4-3 winners at Kidderminster Harriers, a creditable 0-0 draw at Cambridge United, then two 1-0 home wins over Altrincham and Fleetwood Town respectively, before holding Forest Green Rovers to a 0-0 stalemate at New Lawn on the weekend.

This run of form is not least due to the form of Southport keeper Tony McMillan, who has set a Conference record of four successive clean sheets, and will no doubt be looking to make it five when they make the trip to the North East.

Manager Liam Watson will however be concerned about a possible lack of firepower up front with striker Steve Daly (1 assist) anxiously awaiting his wife giving birth and may miss the trip if the labour is prolonged. Fellow front men Tony Gray (1 goal) & Matty McNeil (2 goals) are both ruled out through injury, but defender Chris Lever (1asst) could return from a shoulder injury.

The danger man for Southport is Matty McGinn, and if Gateshead can keep him quiet then that will go a long way to fulfilling my prediction.

The Betting Verdict :

I can't rely on either side definitely winning this fixture given their lack of resources up front, so instead I’m backing a low-scoring match on the Tyne on Tuesday night.

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

Pick: Take Under 2.5 Goals at 1.70 with bet365