witton v gateshead

First Team On the Park
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Witton v Gateshead: League Cup preview
By Andrew Simpson
Comment
Witton Albion v Gateshead (ko 3pm)
UniBond League Challenge Cup Quarter Final
Venue: Wincham Park
Previous meeting: n/a

Witton (from): Kennedy (GK), Coo, Pritchard, Barras, Kearney, Brownhill, MacPherson, Lloyd, Gill, Brown, Peers, Morning, Drohan, Brodie, Thornley, Warlow, Rutter
Doubtful: none
Injured: none
Suspended: none
Cup tied: Evans
Top scorer: Adam Warlow (22)
Route to this round: Albion saw off Colwyn Bay in the third round, managed by former boss Gary Findley, on penalties after a 2-2 draw. Now departed Tom Spearritt and John Dillon were the scorers for Jim Vince’s men. They then defeated long time UniBond Division One North leaders Curzon Ashton 2-1 in the fourth round. Rod Thornley scored both Albion’s goals.

Gateshead (from): Musselwhite (GK), Keen (GK), Jones, Baxter, Curtis, Smith, Talbot, Cave, Flynn, Baker, Hughes, Harwood, Gate, Bowey, Salvin, Phillips, Southern, Armstrong, Brayson, Thompson
Doubtful: none
Injured: none
Suspended: none
Top scorer: Graeme Armstrong (16)
Route to this round: Ian Bogie’s men eased past local rivals Newcastle Blue Star in the third round with goal from Wayne Phillips and Steve Salvin securing a 2-0 win. They followed that with a 3-2 success over Sheffield in a game they twice led by two goals. Paul Thompson, James Dudgeon and David Southern were on target.

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Match pointers
BOTH managers are expected to shuffle their pack for the dress rehearsal ahead of next weekend’s main event.

Albion assistant boss Nigel Deeley this week told the Guardian that the league leaders would persist with their rotation policy for this competition.

"There will be one or two boys from the reserve team given a chance to shine like they have done against Colwyn Bay and Curzon Ashton," he said.

"To be fair they have done really well whenever we have called on them."

Kurtis Gill, Tim Drohan and Daniel Gleave could come into the reckoning but Matt Woolley, so impressive against Curzon Ashton in the last round, is unavailable.

The hosts are likely to rest a few regulars ahead of next week’s crucial league clash, although Rod Thornley should get a run out after missing the midweek trip to Matlock. Dave MacPherson is still not fully over his stomach strain to may take another rest.

Opponents Gateshead could hand a debut to former Northwich Victoria star Paul Brayson after he signed from York City.

He faces stiff competition for places in attack with top scorer Graeme Armstrong and club leading marksman Paul Thompson jostling for a starting shirt.

Like Jim Vince, Gatehead boss Ian Bogie believes the league encounter is the big one for his team.

"I am sure our win over Fleetwood will have sent out a message to other teams," he told the Newcastle Journal.

"Although most people are talking about us being play-off candidates, I am still looking for the top prize."

Gateshead are certainly a team in form, with seven successive victories to their name following a midweek extra time Durham Challenge Cup win over Spennymoor United.

Should the scores be level after normal time then extra time of 15 minutes each way shall be played. Should the scores still be level at the end of that half hour period then the result will be decided by penalty kicks.

8:45am today

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Also Cup tied: Adam Morning.

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Do not agree with playing only 7 regular 1st teamers - Thornley and Peers on the bench. Should be going all out for the DOUBLE. :frowning:

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I’d take 3 points next Saturday rather than a win tomorrow. Why risk it?! If Gateshead play reserves, then what’s to stop them crocking a few of our better players?!

I’d say Kearney, Rutter, Brown, Thornley, should start plus a few of the reserves.

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Sorry Eli, palying our full team in unimportant cup ties cost us the title last year, lesson learned I would say.
WHS.

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Would imagine Pritch would figure at some point.

Howsabout this little gem - Alf Ashley made 604 appearances & scored 45 goals. B.P. is currently on 603 appearances and has scored 44 goals.

Now what a real fitting tribute (to both of the greatest Witton Albion playing servants of all time) should he net one tomorrow hey?

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I have had the pleasure of watching both these players play for Witton and of meeting them off the field, I even played bowls with Alf at Owley Wood. They have another thing in common already Chad, they are both, to use an over used word, "nice" men. To be honest, in my life, I have met very few genuinely "nice" men but these two fit that word perfectly.
WHS.

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Get yourself down to WP and u will meet loads of "nice" men and women. :wink:

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Not a league match today so you won’t be counted as a jinx cos our home cup record is pretty bleak already. You may even change that! COME ON DOWN Watching Pritch must surely be better than them foreigners playing with a funny ball this afternoon.

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I am expecting my son Chris up from Birmingham today, if he arrives in time I will come along as it is a cup tie and will not affect our league form. Don’t worry, I am expecting some "stick" for staying away, I am Very thick skinned!!
WHS.

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Team:

Ellison, Brownhill, Coo, Pritch, Kearney, Brodie, McPherson, Brown, Warlow, Rutter, Skelton.

Subs Thornley, Gill and Gleave.

0 - 0 after half an hour.

Fleetwood 1 up at home to Whitby.
NFU 1 up away at Kendal.

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I’ve seen it on the Gateshead forum that we lost 1-0 and had a player sent off. Any confirmation/details anybody?

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Yeah lost 1 - 0 goal came from a free kick. Rutter sent off along with the Gateshead number 5.

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yes its all true.

Brayson (yes the ex-Vics striker)scored for Gateshead with a well taken free kick with about 20mins to go. Each side lost a player for an incident I didn’t see - Rutter for us and their number 5.

Overall there were quite a few changes from the side we would expect to see next week, so I wouldn’t set any great store by this result.

Some may argue that it was the wrong approach to chnage the team, but for me I am not unhappy we are out.

As for the game - I though Gateshead had some good firsthalf chances and we had a couple in the second half before they scored. But it says it all that we took off Adam Warlow and didn’t go chasing the game.

Roll on next Saturday

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I’m a big believer that players cannot just turn it on and off. I think we should be going full tilt in every game at this time of the season. But of course will bow to JVs superior knowledge. Just hope we haven’t had too much damage for next week. No doubt our defeat, no matter in a useless competition, will be a big boost to the chasing pack. Gateshead are not out of the Championship race by any means. I just feel that if we gave them a bl**dy good hiding today it could well have sent a massive message to them and Fleetwood.

Hope the boys prove me wrong.

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>:( :frowning: :-[ Must agree with u Eddie C. Lets hope todays result is not a big boost to Gateshead. Not sure how many players they left out but they were far superior to us today. MoM Ellison - no chance of keeping the goal out.

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Totally disagree.

We don’t have big enough squad to go chasing these cup competitions and judging by todays attendance many other wittoners think the same. The crowd and the team will be completely different next week for THE game that really matters.

Nothing can guarantee 3 points next week, but I think Jim and Nige have given us our best chance of that with the team they played today.

One final point, I don’t agree that Gateshead were that much better than us today, their keeper made a couple of decent stops too. It was a class free kick that won them the game and good luck to them in the next round.

But as for next week - today counts for absolutely nothing.

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Noticed that Frickley beat Worksop a.e.t. which means our home match for Saturday March 8th will have to be rescheduled. As indeed will Gateshead’s very long haul to Stamford now - shame!!

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From what I gathered they were missing 1 player Dave Southern? I think his name is. We had Lloyd, Thornley, Peers, Barras, Kennedy rested not to mention Evans and Morning who are first teamers now.

I think the prize of promotion is too much to gamble with at this stage and an extra potential 2 games given the squad size could have proved a distraction. You only have to look at their number 5 who will now miss 3 games to see what can happen.

Next Saturday will be a much different games and atmosphere - and now you’re gona believe us…

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I’ve asked the League if we can play at home to Leek on March 8 as they are without a fixture and play Frickley whenever.

GE