Williamson sees positives in loss
FORMER Magpies stalwart Mike Williamson was delighted with the performance of his Gateshead side on his return to former club Newcastle.
United boss Eddie Howe played the majority of his senior squad in the behind-closed-doors pre-season training ground friendly.
Gateshead entered the final 10 minutes just 2-1 down against their Premier League hosts before three late goals put the game to bed.
Miguel Almiron scored twice for the hosts, Joelinton converting a penalty with Matt Ritchie and Sean Longstaff the other home scorers.
Greg Olley’s superb through ball saw Paul Blackett round Karl Darlow to half the deficit, despite the best efforts of United defender Dan Burn.
But with three academy graduates and two trialists given run outs the Heed, who conceded two penalties, shipped late goals.
Olley and Blackett were two of eight former Newcastle players in a Gateshead 19 that was missing former Magpie Adam Campbell and new strikers Aaron Martin and Lewis Knight.
Martin, 31, is the Heed’s sixth addition this summer having penned a two-year deal following his exit from Harrogate Town.
For Williamson and his side, Saturday’s match was another step in a pre-season where the next challenge is a more prosaic one at Dunston tomorrow.
“The final score is what it is,” said Williamson, “but we played some very good stuff in patches and created chances.
“Ultimately the last three went in late on after we had made changes, but we got a lot out of the game.
“It was a really good test for us individually and as a group and we had some really good spells against very difficult opposition.
“The tougher the opposition the less room for error and when we got tired we made decisions we wouldn’t normally make and got sloppy.
“We got punished for them, but ultimately I was really pleased and our fitness levels are going to keep increasing, that’s natural.”
Gateshead are likely to change their side for tomorrow’s game at Dunston, which is followed by a trip to Spennymoor on Saturday.
The Tynesiders’ only planned home game in pre-season is against League Two club Harrogate on Saturday week.
The club have yet to announce who their final warm-up opponents will be ahead of the big kickoff at Dagenham on August 6.