Seventh heaven as Heed make history
GATESHEAD striker Danny Johnson claimed the match ball after his 20-minute hat-trick destroyed Maidenhead on Tyneside.
The Magpies were hammered 7-1 on their first ever visit to Gateshead as the Heed completed a fourth double of the season.
It was also their biggest Conference Premier win in 20 seasons of top flight non-league football spread over four decades.
Johnson, now in his third campaign at Gateshead, had scored two in a game on six occasions - including the last two games.
This time he went one better in his 116th appearance for the club, and he is now just four away from a half century of Heed goals.
Manager Steve Watson paid tribute to his side for rewriting the record books after a scintillating second half display.
It was the former Toon star’s 30th game in charge at Gateshead and a 13th win, while only six have been lost.
Watson told the Chronicle: “We’re going in the right direction. Things don’t happen overnight, it does take a bit of time.
“But it’s great to see what you do in the week come off on a Saturday, and to score seven goals was a special effort.
“The goals were all good cutbacks from good positions, people overlapping and third man runners, so it was a great afternoon.
“I’m over the moon with the result, that goes without saying, and we’ve now got to follow it up with another win at home to Solihull tomorrow.” Watson believes there were excellent performances across the pitch from those in a Heed shirt and was delighted with Johnson’s star turn. “Johnson will get the plaudits, and rightly so. He’s scored seven goals in his last three games, and one of those was off the bench.
“It’s a phenomenal record. He’s one of the best finishers around, but it just hadn’t clicked for him in the previous six weeks.
“What good players do is when they start scoring they keep going and he is shaping up for a fantastic end to the season.”
Three goals inside six first half minutes were the catalyst for an astonishing afternoon, Richard Peniket with the 22nd minute opener.
Jake Hyde levelled before Jamal Fyfield scored from on the line, six of the Heed’s seven goals close range efforts.
A five-goal blast blew Maidenhead away after the break, Johnson scoring the first three as the Magpies’ wheels came off.
Paddy McLaughlin got the goal his superb display deserved and then sub Jordan Burrow scored the record-breaking goal in the 90th minute
Johnson will get the plaudits, and rightly so. He’s scored seven goals in his last three games Steve Watson