Sutton Seek Good Friday Salvation

Following last Saturday's disappointing 2-2 draw against bottom-of-the-table Southport, Sutton United have another home opportunity this Friday to secure their place in next season's National League as they take on eighth-placed Gateshead (kick-off 3pm).

The Southport result kept Sutton in fifteenth and took them to 50 points. That total might well be enough to keep them up, but another three points would make safety all but certain. After Friday there will be just three games remaining.

Gateshead lost 2-1 at home to Maidstone on Saturday, leaving them five points adrift of fifth place and with only an outside chance of making the end-of-season play-offs. They have won nine and lost eight of their 21 away games in the league.

Sutton were beaten 1-0 by Gateshead at the International Stadium when the two sides met in September.

Both teams come into this match having found victories hard to come by lately. Sutton have won just one of their last ten games. Gateshead have had one win in six, though before that they won six in a row.

Sutton will be hoping that Simon Downer and Dean Beckwith have recovered from injury to give more options in defence, though striker Pape Gueye will probably still be sidelined with a hamstring strain.

Gateshead's top scorer Danny Johnson is out until next season after breaking a bone in his foot during the Maidstone game.

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