Heed’s season ends with future unclear

GATESHEAD’S disappointing end to the season extended to the final day as they went down 3-1 to Leyton Orient on Tyneside.

A roller-coaster campaign ended with four straight defeats, 11 goals conceded in the last three outings and a final position of 17th.

Manager Steve Watson admitted the end to the season had been a ‘disaster,’ the club now facing an uncertain future.

Chairman Richard Bennett is optimistic new owners will be in place well before the 2018/19 campaign begins in August. Bennett said: “Given the way talks with prospective owners have developed, we are extremely positive we will be able to get the right people in.

“Now is the time for everyone to be as positive as we are because we are sure everything will be fine.”

That will be music to the ears of Watson and the Heed Army - but in the meantime the club is in limbo.

Players are out of contract and the best could be cherry-picked while Watson (pictured) could also lose out on prospective signings.

Watson said: “We have the base to put a very good squad together.

“We just need the green light and things to move quickly above me. “The longer it takes to sort the ownership issue out the more difficult it will be and it is a big summer ahead.” Danny Johnson signed off with a 90th-minute penalty in what could turn out to be his last game in a Gateshead shirt. Player of the Year Scott Barrow is another the Heed will do well to hold on to given the current circumstances. Leyton Orient had already struck the post when the London outfit took a 17th-minute lead, the Heed again conceding from a corner.

Macaulay Bonne pealed away from Jordan Burrow to head home at the near post, the lead doubled seven minutes into the second half.

Former Crystal Palace and Reading attacking midfielder Jobi McAnuff smashed a 20-yard shot into the top corner.

The 400 Orient supporters in a final-day crowd of 1,056 at the International Stadium were celebrating again seven minutes later.

Another strike from just outside the box, this time by Josh Koroma, found the bottom corner and it was game over.

Johnson’s late spot kick was no more than a consolation – Gateshead now with plenty to do off the pitch over the coming weeks.