Scunthorpe United

vs

Gateshead

Preview

Scunthorpe United (Home)

• Scunthorpe United have won 4 out of their last 5 games (1 defeat).
• Scunthorpe United have won 7 of their 11 home games in the National League (3 draws, 1 defeat).
• 6th placed Scunthorpe United have played the role of the consolidated team to perfection under Andy Butler, who sets his teams up to be disciplined, organised and adaptable to either be compact or press their opponents out of the game.
• Their solid defense is rarely outclassed, as evidenced by their return of only 8 goals conceded in their 11 home fixtures at Glanford Park.

Gateshead (Away)

• Gateshead have lost 4 of their last 5 matches (1 draw).
• 23rd placed Gateshead have only 19 points from 23 games and have undergone a summer managerial reshuffle.
• Alun Armstrong’s team has a different identity to the rest of the National League, preferring to keep a higher tempo than most sides, and are more attack-minded.
• Gateshead create chances by exploiting space behind the lines with pace, but they are often too open defensively.

Key Players

• Scunthorpe’s Danny Whitehall is the National League’s best sharp shooter with 9 goals in 17 games.
• Kain Adom has 9 goals in 21 National League games for Gateshead.

Betting Insights

• Scunthorpe United have a home record of 7 wins, 3 draws and 1 defeat in the National League and are priced at 1.4 to win.
• Gateshead are priced at 6.65 to win.
• The Heed currently average 1.64 goals per away game in the National League.
• Gateshead’s defence often negates the good work their forwards do.
• The value in this game lies in the Both Teams To Score market.
• The BTTS price on offer is 1.61.

Prediction

• Given Scunthorpe’s fine form and solidity on home soil, I’m backing Scunthorpe to take the 3 points.
• I also like Both Teams To Score at 1.61 as the value play.