Southend United will look to extend their unbeaten away record this season when they visit struggling Gateshead on Saturday. The Blues sit third in the National League table with 17 points from eight games, making this fixture a key opportunity to keep pace with the leaders.
Kevin Maher's side have not lost on the road this campaign, a record that ranks them third in the division for away form. They face a Gateshead team who are second from bottom with only four points and have taken just a single point from their last six matches. The hosts are also bottom of the recent form guide, while Southend are seventh.
Head-to-head history
The historical record between the two sides is closely matched. Southend have two wins, three draws and three losses against Gateshead overall. They have, however, won only one of the last six meetings. The most recent clash ended in a 1-1 draw at Roots Hall back in March. Southend began last season with a 3-0 victory at the Gateshead International Stadium, though only three players from that starting line-up remain at the club today.
Recent momentum
Southend's form reads W-D-W-W-L-D-W from their last seven outings across all competitions. Their most recent result was a 3-1 home victory over Tamworth last weekend, with goals from L. Chambers-Parillon, P. Omochere and S. Austin. That result followed a 2-2 draw at Carlisle, where Chambers-Parillon and K. McAdam scored late to salvage a point. You can review the full list of recent results and scorers on our stats page.
In contrast, Gateshead's form is L-L-D-L-L-L. They have scored three and conceded two in their three home games this term, ranking 18th in the league for home performance. Referee Callum Jones will take charge of the match for the first time in a Southend game; he has shown six yellow cards and no reds in his two National League appointments this season.
With the title race tight and Southend just three points behind leaders Boreham Wood, every point is vital. The Blues' next challenge after this trip is already visible on the club's fixtures schedule. A win at Gateshead would solidify their strong position in the standings as the season approaches its first quarter.
The original report is at echo-news.co.uk
