A Macnificent derby day for in-form Heed
LEADING scorer Macaulay Langstaff came off the bench to score twice and help Gateshead to a 3-1 win at Darlington.
It took 72 minutes of a derby bossed by the Tynesiders to break the deadlock - and then three goals arrived in four minutes.
Langstaff opened the scoring just six minutes after replacing Paul Blackett, only for Luke Charman to level matters a minute later.
Undeterred, Gateshead swept downfield for Cedwyn Scott to find the far corner and then Langstaff struck the third nine minutes later.
It was a 10th win from their last 11 league games and one which took the Heed up to second in Vanarama National League North.
Gateshead, who kick-off the new year with another derby at Blyth on Sunday, are two points behind leaders Brackley with two games in hand.
Player-manager Mike Williamson, an unused substitute, was delighted to put another three points on the board:
He said: “It was a really tough afternoon but credit to the boys, we stuck with it and kept doing the nitty-gritty and the fundamentals right.
“We had a few good passages of play and were unlucky not to break the deadlock in the first half.
“We had enough chances and possession to take the lead and then we were pegged back straight afterwards when you are at your most vulnerable.
“That was disappointing but again the lads did not let their heads drop and they kept their energy and intensity.”
Blackett was denied by a great block from Quakers’ captain Danny Ellis early on and then Scott was denied by home goalkeeper Tommy Taylor.
Hull City loanee Matty Jacob was given oceans of space on the left in the opening quarter and his low cross saw Scott’s first-time shot saved by Taylor’s leg. Blackett had a good chance at the near post from Dan Ward’s cross but failed to make contact, the striker then having a shot deflected wide.
Owen Bailey should have give Gateshead a 47th-minute lead from Scott’s through ball but Taylor pulled off another fine save.
Langstaff headed wide from Robbie Tinkler’s dink into the box before a long ball from defender Louis Storey finally broke Darlington’s resistance.
Langstaff was on to it in a flash to shoot across the goakeeper and into the far corner of the net.
Darlington were forced to come out of their shell and when Danny Rose put a ball into the mixer Charman got on the end of it to beat Chapman.
It was a sucker-punch for the Heed but they were back in front two minutes later when Scott expertly found the far corner.
It was then all over when Storey hooked the ball across goal after his near-post flick from Williams’ corner was repelled and Langstaff blasted the ball home.