Daryl Clare can impress for Gateshead against Crawley.

By Nick Hext

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	2.5pts on Gateshead to beat Crawley at 7/5 (bet365, Blue Square).	Crawley struggle on the road and Gateshead need the points.

Gateshead know that three points on Saturday against Crawley would be a massive boost in their bid to stay in the Blue Square Premier.

The Tynesiders are one place above the drop zone but the five-point gap to Grays, who occupy the final relegation spot, does provide some security as we edge closer to the halfway point in the season.

Manager Ian Bogie has promised to bring in a couple of players before the weekend as he branded his side's attacking play in the 1-0 defeat to York on Tuesday night as "nothing short of embarrassing."

That statement is a bit harsh on Daryl Clare after five goals in his previous three games and his loan move from Mansfield has given the Heed a real shout of accumulating some vital points before the January transfer window.

The loan acquisition of midfielder Peter Winn has also provided some additional quality to show that Bogie is aware of the players who can boost his squad as we await to see whether his bid to strengthen his squad will bare fruit before the weekend.

Another boost for the Tynesiders on Saturday will be a return to the Gateshead International Arena after Tuesday night's trip to Yorkshire.

The Heed's home ground is more famous to an international audience as an athletics venue and the unusual surroundings could provide a surprise factor.

It is a struggle for the Heed's fans to create a decent atmosphere and the eeriness will provide Crawley with a different test to anything else they have encountered throughout the campaign.

Steve Evans' outfit bagged a much-needed 2-0 win over Salisbury in midweek and they are comfortably in a mid-table spot.

However, the Red Devils have only won once on the road this season and they have bad memories of Gateshead after falling to a 4-1 defeat in the clash at the Broadfield Stadium at the end of August.

Crawley will finish above the Tynesiders when the campaign ends but this looks to be a good time to back Gateshead as they bid to impress Bogie after his criticism of their midweek display.