Gateshead manager Steve Watson believes Jordan Preston can fill the boots of departed attacking midfielder Luke Hannant.
Hannant went straight into Port Vale’s side on Saturday, a 3-2 defeat at Accrington Stanley, and played 87 minutes.
Preston, a summer signing from Guiseley, will be in the Heed side to face Woking in the National League at the International Stadium tonight.
The former Blackburn Rovers trainee, who had a spell on loan at Ayr United, was a key figure in Gateshead’s 3-1 win at Chester on Saturday.
The 22-year-old has been in out of the side this season and used as an impact player off the bench on numerous occasions.
Preston has pace and trickery in his locker and scored a superb goal at the Deva Stadium at the weekend, his fourth of the season.
Watson said: “Preston scored a great goal at Chester. He’s capable of that and I’ve challenged him about his consistency.
“He has looked fantastic coming off the bench and other days he’ll start well and then fade.
“At Chester he had the constant class and quality we know he has and obviously we’ve lost Hannant to Port Vale.
“Maybe he has seen this as a chance to step up to the plate and be the really creative player for us we know he can be.”
Midlander Wes York, a periphery player in the first half of the season, is another wide player that has been given a new lease of life.
“Wes York is as honest as the day is long,” added Watson. “He caused so many problems at Chester and was unlucky not to score.
“Saturday was a lot closer, certainly for 70 minutes of the game, to the standard we need to be at to get up the league.”
Woking head north on the back of a 3-0 defeat at lowly Solihull Moors and only three sides have lost more than the Cards’ nine away from home.
On loan Burton Albion schemer Ben Fox will make his home debut tonight, new loanee from Newcastle, Lewis McNall, in the 16 again.
Richard Peniket is out and fellow striker Danny Johnson struggling with a hamstring injury, Watson keen to get back to winning ways at home.
“We need to start dominating our home games from beginning to end, and we need more wins at the International Stadium.
“Hopefully Woking will be the start of turning around our home form ahead of an important run of games at the stadium.”
Gateshead host Maidstone United, their third-round opponents in the FA Trophy, on Saturday followed by Wrexham three days later.