Aspin takes positives from Magpies loss

GATESHEAD fell to their first defeat of pre-season against a young Newcastle United side.

Yasin Ben El-Mhanni, Victor Fernandez and substitute Dan Ward were on target as the clinical Magpies made light work of their second pre-season warm up game with a 3-0 win.

Gateshead boss Neil Aspin remained upbeat despite his side’s defeat: ”It’s not every day that you’ll be playing Newcastle.

“They’ve got good players and it shows their strength in depth and made it difficult for us all over the pitch.

“It was a good exercise and Newcastle moved us around well and asked us questions that we wouldn’t normally be asked.”

The Magpies came out the blocks flying with Liam Smith testing Montgomery after a minute, before turning provider for Ivan Toney whose shot was cleared off the line by Neill Byrne.

The visitors broke the deadlock as the lively Fernandez (pictured) showed good pace to tee up El-Mhanni, who in turn curled a 20-yard shot past Montgomery. Fernandez then got on the scoresheet himself, cutting in from the left-hand side and looping a shot over the head of Montgomery to give Peter Beardsley’s men a 2-0 lead at half-time.

With a flurry of substitutions and a change of shape, Gateshead looked more comfortable after the restart but their hard work was undone as Dan Ward’s strike found a way past substitute Dan Hanford.

Gateshead were made to rue their missed chances, Danny Johnson forcing Nathan Harker into a good save, and Jordan Burrow was unable to turn Wes York’s cross the right side of the post.

Elsewhere, Blyth Spartans continued their rebuild for life in the National League North with a 4-2 win over a Middlesbrough XI.

Goals from Dan Maguire, Robbie Dale, Dale Hopson and Jordan Laidler were enough to comfortably see off the Teesiders.

Boro struck back twice in the last twenty minutes through Brandon McCarthy and George Miller but the damage had already been done.