HEED ON THE UP AS GULLS NOSEDIVE

GATESHEAD completed a good first week to the new season when they recorded back-to-back home wins without conceding.

The Heed were given a helping hand by a Torquay side that, apart from spells either side of half-time, struggled badly.

The benevolent Gulls, who have clocked up 1,100 miles in five days, gave Gateshead a helping hand with two own goals.

On loan Newcastle right-back Callum Williams and hard working striker Jordan Burrow deserved the plaudits for forcing both own goals from Torquay’s Ryan Higgins and Myles Anderson either side of a strike from substitute Richard Peniket, who looked well offside.

“We played well in the first half,” said Gateshead boss Neil Aspin. “But you’re not going to dominate for 90 minutes at this level.

“I’m not going to take any negatives as we need to be positive, and I’m pleased the way the players have responded after losing at Woking.

“We need to be better, but if the players keep working hard that's all I ask, and there were some good performances.”

Higgins put through his own net on 19 minutes after diverting Williams’ low cross beyond Ryan Clarke.

Gateshead continued to press but had to wait until the 78th minute for the killer second goal – Peniket sliding home from fellow sub Jordan Preston’s cross-shot before Anderson turned in Burrow’s low cross four minutes later.

“I’ve got to take some responsibility,” said Torquay manager Kevin Nicholson. “I’ve picked a formation and a team, so maybe that’s my fault.

“I expect my players to look in the mirror and evaluate their performance and I’ve got to do the same. We looked like a new team that passed it more in hope than expectation.”