Hednesford Town and Gateshead will both be bidding to reach the FA Cup first round when they meet at Keys Park on Saturday afternoon.
While Gateshead sit in fourth position in the National League table, their hosts are currently occupying 15th spot in the Northern Premier League West Division, three tiers below their North-East opponents.
Match preview
Fans of Hednesford Town have experienced a range of emotions over the past 16 months, initially enduring a period where they almost went out of business and only avoided relegation at the end of 2023-24 through the request for voluntary demotion from a club in a different league.
These days, the Pitmen are being financially-backed to such an extent where their squad features a Jamaica international, one of Maidstone United's FA Cup heroes from last season and a player who once cost Liverpool a fee of £300,000.
Promotion is the priority for 2024-25, with a total of 12 points being accumulated from their opening eight matches in the Northern Premier League West at a time when they have been distracted by their efforts in the cup.
Steve King's side have already progressed through five rounds to reach this stage, defeating Racing Club Warwick, Worcester Raiders, Melton Town, Rugby Town and Shifnal Town respectively.
Hednesford also enter this clash on a five-game unbeaten streak, although there is a downside of just four goals being scored in their last four outings in all competitions.
Supporters will be hoping that an occasion such as this can evoke memories of years gone by, Hednesford having previously reached the FA Cup fourth round back in 1996-97 as they defeated the likes of Blackpool and York City before suffering a late 3-2 defeat to Premier League Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.
Another North East outfit stands in their way on Saturday in the form of Gateshead, who are still looking to adapt to life without head coach Rob Elliot after his recent move to League One outfit Crawley Town.
Club legend Ben Clark has been placed in charge on an interim basis, his second spell in the Gateshead dugout after a 17-game spell in 2019.
A 1-0 victory over Wealdstone was followed up by a 2-1 reverse at Tamworth on Tuesday night, with the Heed now facing a second trip to Staffordshire in the space of four days.
Despite an indifferent start under Clark, Gateshead remain fourth in the National League with the second-best attacking record, but Hednesford can take encouragement from just one away win being recorded in their last five games on their travels.
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Team News
Hednesford are expected to missing several key players with three of their first-choice defenders Blaine Rowe, Korey Roberts and Joel Taylor all likely to be absent through injury.
Midfielder Sion Spence recently suffered an Achilles injury, while Jake Jervis is serving a one-match ban for his dismissal last weekend.
Zidan Sutherland and Manny Duku could replace Abdulrasaq Alamu-Tajudeen and Rob Stevenson in the final third, but the rest of the team that started against Witton Albion could stay the same unless a new signing is made before Friday's deadline.
As for Gateshead, right-back Robbie Tinkler is expected to miss out after being withdrawn during the first half at Tamworth.
Either Brandon Haunstrup and Jean Belehouan will be brought into the team, while former West Bromwich Albion youngster Jovan Malcolm will hope to start in attack.
With goalkeeper Tiernan Brooks on international duty with Republic of Ireland Under-21s, Harry Moss is in line to deputise ahead of former Hednesford loanee Oliver Basey.
Hednesford Town possible starting lineup:
Rose; Holness, Endall, Johnson, Sparkes; Maye, Trickett-Smith; Sutherland, McHale, Bearne; Duku
Gateshead possible starting lineup:
Moss; Haunstrup, Radcliffe, Jones, Hannant; Allan, Booty, Butterfield, Colkett, Whelan; Malcolm
We say: Hednesford Town 0-4 Gateshead
While Hednesford have acquired players who have National League experience, this is a major step-up against a team on the up in Gateshead. With the Pitmen having struggled in the final third of late, we expect Gateshead to record a routine win to book their place in the first round.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Darren Plant
