Pack your bags and fill those petrol tanks. The Fleet travel to Gateshead for the fourth match of the 2023/24 campaign as Dennis Kutrieb’s squad seek a further points return on the six from nine achieved so far in their National League comeback, writes Katie Humphris.
The Fleet, in fifth place in the early league table, will go into this match with confidence following a 2-0 victory against Aldershot Town on Tuesday night – as they come up against a side with a similar footballing philosophy.
It’s the second away trip of the season for the reds and just so happens to be the furthest of them all. A little like last season, where the longest journey (to Weymouth) was out of the way early, so too this year will Fleet have ticked off Gateshead before September arrives. The 590-mile round trip will be the first time in four years the Fleet have visited the International Stadium.
The Fleet boss is looking forward to a high-quality game… and even the famous running-track that might well remind him of home! “We are always confident, we never lack that and that’s the most important thing,” said Kutrieb ahead of Saturday’s match. “Gateshead were unlucky against Boreham Wood and Hartlepool and they could have more points on the board. We need to be careful in our preparation to do the right things. I’m looking forward to it, with the running track – you rarely have that in this league. For me coming from Germany, you have many stadiums with running tracks. I expect a great game because they are a passing team and it will be a high-quality game.”
Form Guide
The Heed hosted Boreham Wood on the opening day of the season and thought they’d earned all the points but a late strike from Cameron Coxe saw a share of the spoils. A defeat away to Hartlepool was soon forgotten when Gateshead secured a convincing win against Dagenham & Redbridge, with both Luke Hannant and Marcus Dinanga bagging a brace. Similarly, the Fleet bounced back from defeat against Solihull Moors to secure the win in midweek against Aldershot Town.
Add in Gateshead’s form from last season, too, and you’re looking at a side that has made good progress. They were FA Trophy runners-up and concluded 2022/23 with eight wins from 11 league games.
Head-to-head
Of the previous 10 matches, the Fleet have an advantage having won five to Gateshead’s three. Our last outing to the International Stadium was back in 2019 – a 1-1 draw seeing Chris Bush secure an equaliser in the 64th minute. However in the reverse fixture back at the Kuflink, it would be the visitors who came out victorious with a narrow 1-0 win, Bush once again the scorer, but on this occasion landing the ball in his own net. Our most memorable trip across the River Tyne came on a damp Tuesday night where the Fleet all but secured a play-off position in their first season back in the fifth tier. A Danny Kedwell hat-trick along with goals from Luke Coulson and Jack Powell made the 11-hour round trip more than worth it as the seven-goal thriller tipped Fleet’s way in the second-half.
Who’s who:
Former Dartford loanee Archie Mair stands between the posts. The former Notts County keeper secured an EFL return with the Magpies in the promotion final last year, making two penalty saves in the shootout against Chesterfield after being brought on specifically for his abilities against penalty kicks. He will stay in the National League in 2023/24, however, on a season-long loan move to Gateshead from Norwich City.
In front of the young keeper is right-back Robbie Tinkler, who signed for the club for the third time, following previous spells in 2017/18 and 2018/19. Tinkler has made nearly 200 appearances for the Northern side and has recently extended his contract to 2024. Louis Storey will also appear in that back line, his role at the club also encompassing first-team coach.
Midfielder, Luke Hannant is a newish face at Gateshead after he put pen to paper on a return to the club in the summer following a two-year spell at Colchester United, which involved a loan to Dundee United. Hannant made 61 appearances for Colchester and featured on the scoresheet twice, a statistic he has already matched for Gateshead this season.
Up front is Marcus Dinanga, top scorer so far this season with three. He’s another former Dartford player who has swapped the white and black of North Kent for the white and black of the North-East.
The manager
The man tasked with keeping Gateshead progressing is former Newcastle United midfielder Mike Williamson. His 20-year-plus career has also taken in Torquay United, Wycombe Wanderers and Watford and aged 39, the 6ft 4in player-manager is not quite done with kicking a ball yet. He turned out five times for the Heed last season.
Appointed in 2019 following the club’s troubled demotion, he turned things around swiftly and won the National North title in his first full season in 2021/22.
Recent history
When Fleet last trekked to the International Stadium, the visiting fans joined in with their opposite numbers’ demonstration against then-owner Dr Ranjan Varghese. Almost forced into extinction, Gateshead under new ownership won back their National League place – perhaps somewhat ahead of schedule – in 2022. Last season saw a brush with relegation but the Heed finished the campaign very strongly to ease to 14th position.
Club connections
Going furthest back, Gateshead back-up goalkeeper and technical director Rob Elliott was regarded by Chris Solly as one of Charlton’s best goalkeepers in his time at The Valley. Elsewhere, defender Carl Magnay lined up alongside Rakish Bingham at Hartlepool United while Callum Whelan had a brief spell in the same Oldham side as Ouss Cissé.
Tickets
Fleet fans should buy away tickets from the Gateshead website here.
Overseas fans can watch the streamed game live on NLTV here.
BBC Radio Kent will be providing commentary – just search “BBC National League commentary” on Google for the live link on the day.
And Fleet’s Twitter account will as ever be providing text commentary of the action.
