Early team news as United take on Gateshead
United go into Wednesday night’s FA Cup replay at Gateshead hoping the magic of the cup can help pull one or two players through after knocks they picked up in the win at Mansfield on Saturday.
The U’s are already without Jake Wright, Alfie Potter and Jon Meades and they will definitely be joined on the touchlines by Andy Whing (ankle) and Deane Smalley (groin) who both hobbled off at Field Mill in the 3-1 win. Both players will have scans this week to assess the full extent of their injuries.
United will therefore be hoping that both Dave Kitson and James Constable are available. Kitson required treatment for a knee problem while Constable took a painful blow to the foot after scoring his 100th goal for the club. Both are rated doubtful.
The U’s will also be without the ineligible Asa Hall: parent club Shrewsbury are no longer in the FA Cup but the midfielder was not eligible for the first game and cannot play in tomorrow’s replay.
“We will give players as long as we can to recover” said first team coach Andy Melville “but Whingy and Deano won’t make it and Asa can’t play so it is likely to be a very young bench. They have done really well in the development games this season though and if called upon we know the youngsters will want to show what they can do.”
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