Farsley Celtic face a midweek trip to National League side Gateshead in the FA Trophy with the chance to face Boston United in the fourth round up for grabs

The two sides were originally due to face off against each other on Saturday afternoon but the game was postponed just before kick-off due to a waterlogged surface at the Gateshead International Stadium. Many fixtures across the pyramid were called off on Saturday due to the effects of Storm Darragh.

The draw for the fourth round was conducted on Monday afternoon where it was decided that the winner of tonight’s clash will have a home tie against other National League side Boston United at the start of January.

Farsley come into the fixture off the back of a 4-1 defeat away at Oxford City last weekend and will be hoping that the chance to turn focus away from the league can offer a positive impact. Pav Singh’s side defeated Bamber Bridge by a goal to nil in the second round to reach this stage of the competition.

The Celts go into this fixture as underdogs with Gateshead having the title of higher opposition but the game presents itself as a big opportunity and learning experience for Pav Singh’s side who are set to field a very young side tonight with an average age of just 21 due to injuries to the first team squad.

Pav Singh has spoken on the high level of injuries currently ravaging the squad, saying: “We head into today’s game with a young and inexperienced squad due to a combination of injuries, suspensions, and cup-tied players.

“Darren Stephenson, Rudy Misambo, Ben Atkinson, and Conor Branson are sidelined through injury, while Isaac Abankwah and Joao Silva are unavailable due to being cup-tied.

“Ryan Watson is also suspended, and both Aiden Walker and Isaac Assenso are still working their way back to full fitness.

On the players coming into the squad this evening, Pav said: “In their place, we’ve called on players from the Emerging Talent Squad who have impressed during their loan spells. Chris Bumhira and Will Morrissey have earned their spots, while young pros Chris Kondala (Chesterfield) Aaron Pickles (Accrington) , Hayden Pickard (Barnsley) and Rafael Monteiro recently released from Barnsley, join us after catching the eye in training. This is a fantastic opportunity for these lads to step up, gain valuable experience, and show what they can bring to the team.”

Pav also spoke about the challenge tonight’s fixture will bring, saying: “While tonight’s game will undoubtedly be a challenge, it’s a chance for us to adapt, provide opportunities for emerging players, and build for the future. It’s also important to ensure our first-team squad is fully recovered and ready for the upcoming fixture against Buxton.

“We’ll be giving everything we’ve got tonight and taking valuable lessons from the experience. Thank you to our fans for your continued support, let’s get behind the lads and make it a performance to be proud of.”

GATESHEAD

Tonight’s opponents are currently flying high in the National League, sitting fourth in the table on 38 points after 21 games, six points off league leaders York City. Carl Magnay’s side have slightly struggled for consistent form however recently with one win in their last five league matches, however they are the current champions of the FA Trophy and will provide tough opposition this evening as they look to begin their title defence.

LAST TIME OUT

The two sides’ most recent competitive meeting came in the 2022/23 installment of the FA Trophy in the Quarter Finals. After reaching the stage of the competition for the first time in history, Farsley agonisingly missed out on a place in the semi finals as they lost out 4-2 on penalties.

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Our live commentary will not be in action for tonight’s game.