Gateshead must believe they can cause FA Cup upset against Walsall - Armstrong

Gateshead manager Alun Armstrong has insisted his side can cause a major FA Cup upset with a win against League Two leaders Walsall on Sunday afternoon.

The two sides will meet in front of the TNT Sports cameras at the International Stadium as the Heed look to see off EFL opposition for the second consecutive round after they claimed a shock 2-0 win at League One play-off contenders AFC Wimbledon to set up this afternoon’s meeting with the Saddlers.

However, that win at the Cherry Red Records Stadium remains Gateshead’s last victory in any competition as a dismal run of form now consisting of five consecutive defeats has saw Armstrong’s men slide into the National League relegation zone. However, the former Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough striker has insisted anything can happen in the FA Cup and that means his players must believe they can land a place in the third round for the first time in a decade.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, the Heed boss said: “It’s huge. I think everyone wrote us off (at Wimbledon) and everyone will probably write us off again on Sunday because of the run we’ve been on. But I’ve been involved in this before as a player and a manager and anything can happen on that day.

“It’s eleven men against eleven men, one ball, two goals and it’s about whoever comes out on top on that day. Sometimes you need that little bit of lady luck and I am quite certain we are due some and it would be nice if we could get that on Sunday. But we know we will have to absolutely work our socks off against a very good Walsall side.”

Rollercoaster

Preparations for an already tough-looking test against the Saddlers have been severely hampered by a bug that meant a number of players had to sit out last weekend’s defeat at Sutton United and some others have missed training sessions during this week. The situation has improved in recent days - but Armstrong admitted he is waiting on news of the fitness of a number of players ahead of this afternoon’s tie.

“Nothing is ever straightforward at this football club. You always get hit by something, it’s a proper rollercoaster. We’ve had injuries galore and then last Saturday I think I have a really strong squad - and then wake up on the Saturday with six to eight of them really ill.

“Max (Melbourne) came off at half-time because he was being sick so illness has ripped through the squad in recent days. It didn’t help they had their Christmas do as well because that has an effect - but some aren’t back in training but there are some back today (Friday). It’s a lot better than it was, that’s a certainty.”

Pain

As well as their fitness struggles, Gateshead face on ongoing battle with a challenging financial situation - and their efforts have been boosted by the income created from their run to the second round. A shock win at the International Stadium would take the Heed’s cup run earnings up to around the £200,000 mark and would provide a major on and off-field boost for Armstrong and chairman Bernard McWilliams.

It would also set up the possibility of a lucrative third round tie against a Premier League giant - and although Armstrong was at pains to look beyond a sizeable test against Walsall, the Heed boss did admit such a prize was hard to ignore for a number of reasons.

“You never want to look that far ahead (to the third round) but because of what we are at this point in time I think people know what it would mean for this football club to get into the third round. The financial stuff that comes with that is huge and people still underestimate what happened in the summer and where we are.

“We had a talk-in last night (Thursday) and Bernard explained it well when he said he wants to give the football club a good starting point for next year by getting rid of the debt this year. So we are dealing with the pain now so if we manage to win on Sunday, that would make that pain go away a lot easier and give me a little bit more to build. So that’s a win-win for everyone but it’s going to be extremely tough.”

Showcase

Gateshead’s home form so far this season offers little in the way of belief or expectation as they prepare to go into battle in front of the TNT Sports cameras.

As it stands, Armstrong’s men have the worst home record in the National League after losing seven of their ten games at the International Stadium and their only victory on home soil came in August when a goal in each half from on-loan Doncaster Rovers youngster Will Flint gave his side a 2-1 win against Tamworth. Since then, the Heed have have taken just two points from eight games on the south bank of the Tyne - and Armstrong has stressed the need for a major upturn in results and performances in front of the home faithful.

He said: “There has to be a game that kickstarts it and there couldn’t be a better game than live on TV to kickstart that home form. We know we haven’t been good enough at home, we have looked at the reasons, there is a little bit that we can’t do without.

“But what we can do is effect stuff on the pitch and that’s what we have got to concentrate on. We haven’t been good enough at times, we’ve been a little bit unlucky at times and Sunday could be a real turning point for the lads. It’s a real opportunity for them to showcase themselves and fingers crossed showcasing themselves can go hand-in-hand with us turning the corner at home.”

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