Two of the National League's promotion hopefuls will meet this Saturday in a true 'six-pointer' as Altrincham hosts Gateshead.
With just a point separating the two teams at the moment, there is a lot on the line in their bids to progress to League Two.
Match preview
Altrincham showcased different sides of themselves in recent games, with their attacking style at its full potential last Tuesday when they blew past York City 6-1, and then a more resilient defensive effort last weekend.
The Robins once again took all three points as they traveled to Boreham Wood, but it was a very different type of performance as they won 1-0 courtesy of a Chris Conn-Clarke goal.
Both performances will have left Phil Parkinson pleased, and being able to blend both of them could be crucial on Saturday in what promises to be a different type of test, than against teams in the relegation battle.
Altrincham currently occupies the last playoff spot, but a defeat on Saturday would not only lead to Gateshead overtaking them, but it would open the door for Oldham Athletic to do the same because of how tight things are at the top of the league.
However, three points could catapult the Robins into a more secure fifth place, and with a very small margin for error at the moment a strong performance will be required.
The visitors will head into this game with the reverse fixture in mind when Altrincham picked up the victory after a comfortable 2-0 win, with a stronger performance required this time out.
While they are only a point away from the playoffs the pressure is certainly on the Tynesiders to secure a win to ensure that they do not drift away with only eight games remaining.
Rob Elliot shall be hoping to see improvements from his men after their most recent outing where they were comfortably defeated 4-2 by Ebbsfleet United.
Gateshead were fighting an uphill battle from the fifth minute of that one due to Louis Storey being sent off, and stronger discipline will be needed against the Robins.
Despite the numbers disadvantage, Elliot will still have been left frustrated by the performance he saw considering the fact the Tynesiders were 2-1 ahead at the break courtesy of a Callum Whelan.
Ultimately, the pressure from their opponents proved to be too much and Gateshead walked away with nothing which led to them dropping out of the playoffs, showcasing how important each game is at this stage in the campaign.
Team News
Justin Donawa returned from a loan move with Chorley last week and was immediately put back into the starting lineup against Boreham Wood, and that should continue this weekend.
After keeping a clean sheet in that fixture it is unlikely any defensive changes will be made by Parkinson, particularly in goal after Ethan Ross put on an impressive display, while Conn-Clarker will also feature after scoring his 20th goal of the season.
There will be at least one change to the Gateshead team that lost last weekend due to Storey's suspension, opening up the opportunity for Elliot to make some tweaks, with Robbie Tinkler likely to get a start.
Dajuane Brown will also be unavailable for the Tynesiders as he has been called up for international duty with Jamaica's under-23s squad, while Eddie Beach is away with the Wales under-23s group.
Altrincham possible starting lineup:
Ross; Jones, Baines, Osborne, Kosylo; Conn-Clarke, Amaluzor, Cooper; Donawa, Wilson, Newby
Gateshead possible starting lineup:
Montgomery; Tinkler, Richardson, Jobe, Hannant, Adom; Francis, Whelan, Worman; Evans, Nyamabu
We say: Altrincham 2-1 Gateshead
There is very little between the two teams in the league table, and that should lead to a close and competitive fixture this weekend.
Playing at home will provide Altrincham with a slight advantage, and that could be the difference maker in this important match in the fight for promotion.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
