Match preview: York City v Gateshead (From York Press)

Match preview: York City v Gateshead

10:34am Tuesday 24th November 2009

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PROLIFIC Blue Square Premier marksman Daryl Clare will be looking to poach his 150th league goal against York City at Bootham Crescent tonight.

Clare, 31, hit a hat-trick in the Heed’s 3-0 home victory over Grays on Saturday to leave him one strike away from the career landmark.

The treble also took the two-time Conference title and Golden Boot winner’s tally to five goals in four games following his loan move from Mansfield, where he netted twice in only three starts this season.

Clare will spearhead a visiting team that is expected to include two former Minstermen in its starting line-up.

At the back, Darren Williams, now 32, will partner 39-year-old Chris Swailes in the centre of defence.

Former Doncaster defender Swailes will be deputising for key man James Curtis, who is suspended after being shown his fifth yellow card of the season against Grays, while Phil Turnbull, who made one Setanta Shield start during half a season with the Minstermen, will line up in the heart of midfield.

Ex-City ace Adam Boyes, recently back at Bootham Crescent on loan from Scunthorpe, has just joined Gateshead on a similar loan deal.

A fourth City old boy, Mark Robinson, is currently out of favour, however, having not featured since October 3 with Phil Cave preferred at left-back.

The Tynesiders have not travelled well this season, losing seven away games, which is a record matched only by Grays and Ebbsfleet during this term.

Victories on the road have come against Salisbury City (1-0) and Crawley Town (4-1), while a point was gleaned at Grays (0-0).

Only Forest Green (26) have conceded more goals on the road than the 23 shipped by the sixth-bottom Heed but, only AFC Wimbledon (20) and Rushden (15) have scored more times on away soil. Gateshead’s goals conceded column of 32 is the division’s third-highest behind Grays (42) and Forest Green (40).

Gateshead (probable): Farman, Baxter, Williams, Swailes, Cave, Haworth, Gate, Turnbull, Winn, Armstrong, Clare. Subs from: Provett, One, Mackay, Francis, Robinson, Harwood, Boyes.

Match facts

This is Gateshead’s first visit to York for 50 years.

The clubs met 46 times in the Football League (1929 to 1959).

In the matches at Bootham Crescent, City won 12 times with eight draws, and their biggest success was 5-1 in 1937/8.

Gateshead’s best win at York was by a similar scoreline in 1949/50 and the last of their three victories here was 2-1 in 1952/3.

The biggest crowd in the series was in February 1955, when 13,246 saw City win 2-1.

The last meeting between the clubs at Bootham Crescent was on April 27, 1959, when City won a Fourth Division fixture 1-0, with Billy Hughes the marksman.

City, who had already won promotion to the Third Division, lined-up: Forgan, Ramsey, Howe, Patterson, Boyes, Mollatt, Hughes, Wilkinson, Farmer, Wragg, Powell.

Among the players who have appeared for both clubs are Ian Winters, Kevin Dixon, Paddy Atkinson, Nicky Peverell and Steve Bowey, plus current Heed players Darren Williams, Mark Robinson, Carl Jones and Phil Turnbull.

It happened on November 24

1929: In a first round FA Cup tie City, then in the Midland League, entertained Division Three North club Barrow. The visitors won 1-0 and the crowd at Fulfordgate was 6,957.

1951: A 1-1 draw at home to Bradford Park Avenue in round one of the FA Cup. Alf Patrick was the scorer in front of 12,015. City lost a second replay 4-0 at Elland Road.

1962: City beat Crewe Alexandra 2-1 at Bootham Crescent in the second round of the FA Cup with goals from Peter Wragg and Norman Wilkinson. The attendance was 6,163.

1979: Mossley were beaten 5-3 at Bootham Crescent in a first round FA Cup tie watched by 3,872. The men on the scoresheet were Kevin Randall, Terry Eccles, John Byrne, Peter Lorimer and Ian McDonald (penalty).

1989: Ian Helliwell, Tony Barratt and Gary Howlett were on target in a 3-1 win at Scarborough and City were in the top four of Division Four.

2007: A 2-1 win at Weymouth with Darren Kelly and Craig Farrell the scorers, but City were in the bottom half of the Conference. It was Colin Walker’s first game in charge.

Compiled by David Batters