Notts County can extend their unbeaten run in the National League to 14 consecutive games when they return home to Meadow Lane for the first time since November to battle Gateshead on Tuesday.
Over the weekend, the league leaders survived a scare but ultimately edged Maidenhead United 4-3 to remain a point above Wrexham for first, while the Heed dropped four points behind the relegation line following a 2-0 defeat at home to Aldershot Town.
Match preview
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Some moments of individual brilliance proved decisive once again for Notts County this weekend, as they scored four goals for the second consecutive encounter, extending their unbeaten run away from home to seven successive domestic contests, six of which were victories.
While they remain well positioned to earn a promotion, manager Luke Williams was not pleased with how his side defended set pieces on Saturday.
They were caught flat-footed against Maidenhead, allowing two goals off corners, and were pegged back by the home side on a couple of occasions.
Williams's backline have looked quite comfortable when featuring in front of their home fans, posting seven clean sheets over this domestic campaign and without a defeat at Meadow Lane this season.
They have had no trouble finding the back of the net in 2022-23, leading the league with 57 goals, though more than 50% of them (33) have come against clubs currently in the bottom half of the table.
The Magpies are on pace to break their record for points in a domestic campaign set in 1997-98 (three for a win), currently with 51 this season and 22 matches still to be played.
Notts County have only conceded three first-half strikes domestically since October, allowing the opening goal in one home fixture in the National League this year.
Another poor second half for Mike Williamson and his side has put Gateshead in further relegation danger as they failed to win for the 11th time in their previous 12 league fixtures.
The Tynesiders have not conceded in the opening half of their last three games and have not trailed heading into the interval since falling 3-1 to Woking in October, although they are currently positioned to drop back into the National League North, a competition they won a season ago.
They have scored the fourth-fewest goals in the league so far this season (25) after finding the back of the net 99 times in 2021-22 when they captured their first trophy since winning the 2010-11 Durham Challenge Cup.
Gateshead have only managed to score multiple goals away from home on one occasion all season in the National League, and that happened in their opening fixture when they squandered a 2-0 lead and drew Dag and Red 2-2.
To this point of the campaign, they have dropped eight points when holding an advantage heading into the second half while failing to win eight matches domestically in which they had scored first.
Their 10 defeats so far is just one fewer than this team suffered in their previous two National League North seasons combined.
Team News
Macaulay Langstaff notched a brace, including the winner over the weekend against Maidenhead United, as the Notts County striker leads the league with 21 goals, while Ruben Rodrigues and Quevin Castro each found the back of the net as well.
Goalkeeper Sam Slocombe has only conceded once in his previous five home games in league play, while their last domestic goal at home came courtesy of Adam Chicksen in a 1-1 draw versus Bromley at the beginning of November.
John Bostock, who signed an 18-month contract last week, will be seeking his first start with his new team, and Williams did not make any changes this weekend to the team that began their game versus Scunthorpe, while Aaron Nemane came on as a substitute.
Gateshead goalkeeper James Montgomery has yet to collect a clean sheet this season, as Dan Langley was between the sticks in their only shutout when they blanked Maidenhead United 1-0 in September.
Their leading goalscorer Adam Campbell has not notched an away goal in the league since October 25, Elliot Forbes had their last road strike in a 1-1 draw against Torquay United, while Tom Allan gave them a shock lead versus Notts County back in August only to have that nullified when an own goal from Louis Storey drew the league leaders level, as both sides played to a 1-1 tie.
Late last week, the club confirmed that Adi Yussuf and Eddie Thomas had departed in a move they say was mutually agreed upon, while Danny Elliott is looking to make his first start for the Tynesiders on Tuesday after replacing Connor Carty over the weekend.
Notts County possible starting lineup:
Slocombe; Chicksen, Cameron, Baldwin, Brindley; Austin, O'Brien, Bostock; Rodrigues, Langstaff, Scott
Gateshead possible starting lineup:
Montgomery; Richardson, Storey, Pye, Magnay; Pani, Jarvis, Bailey, Ward; Campbell, D. Elliot
We say: Notts County 3-1 Gateshead
Even though Gateshead have been better organised along the backline in recent outings, they are facing an in-form Notts County attack who only need a half-chance to make you pay.
Therefore, we expect a much more comfortable victory for the league leaders on Tuesday than we saw in their previous fixture against the Heed.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
