NON-LEAGUE football expert Danny Mercer (@OneDannyMercer) shares his views on Wednesday night’s Conference Premier clash.
Gateshead v Woking | Wednesday 19.45
Wednesday night’s match-up between Gateshead and Woking is a ‘must-win’ for both teams. With the two sides out of form and sliding down the Conference Premier table, three points is vital to keep their play-off dreams alive.
Woking make the journey north having lost a few of their key loan players, which often serve them so well season-upon-season. It’s bound to him them hard with the Cardinals already possessing one of the league’s smallest squads.
Garry Hill’s visitors have lost their way of late too. Just two points from a possible 18 have been taken and hitman Scott Rendell has been firing blanks. Thankfully, Jack Marriott's renewed his loan spell from Ipswich to give them a boost going forward.
However, the Cards do have a great knack for getting on the scoresheet away from home. Woking have scored 16 in their last eight away Conference games and they’ve netted before the 56th minute in eight of their 13 matches on the road.
With that in mind, the 5/6 on Woking to score before the 56th minute with Bet365 holds plenty of appeal, especially as Gateshead have leaked 10 in their past five league matches as hosts and gone into the interval trailing in each.
It’s a tough game to call though. The Tynesiders will be hoping to bounce back from their 7-0 FA Cup defeat to Premier League West Brom and will be encouraged by the fact Woking have lost three of their previous four on their travels.
As well as scoring goals, the visitors haven’t been able to keep them out defensively. They’ve conceded at least twice in their previous four away and in five of their last six. So we can expect The Head to have a bit of joy on home soil.
The hosts have scored two or more in six of their last eight Conference outings and we can back them for a repeat at even-money with William Hill. It should be a goal-heavy game at the Gateshead International Stadium.
Best Bets
Gateshead v Woking – Gateshead to score Over 1.5 Goals (1/1 William Hill)
Gateshead v Woking – Woking to score before the 56th minute (5/6 Bet365)
