SPENNY’S HOPES HIT BY HEED
Battling Tynesiders hold on
CLINICAL Gateshead inflicted a second defeat in the space of three days on northeast rivals Spennymoor Town.
The visitors were awarded a penalty following Jake Hibbs’ challenge on the lively Dominic Tear after just six minutes, allowing Heed captain Scott Barrow to send Matt Gould the wrong way from the spot.
Despite Spennymoor creeping back into the contest, Gateshead always looked a threat in the opening 30 minutes and doubled their lead following a surging run from right-back Alex Nicholson. He dinked a cross to the back post to Tear who nodded into an empty net.
A quick response was required from confidence-hit Moors, and they lived up to the task by pulling a goal back within two minutes.
Stephen Brogan’s pinpoint cross, whipped into the box from the left, was headed into the net by ex-Heed midfielder Rob Ramshaw after he beat the
onrushing Bradley James to the ball.
Gateshead spurned a gilt-edged chance to restore their two-goal cushion. Barrow’s low cross was missed by Josh Kayode before Tear failed to bundle in at the back post.
Any signs that the intensity would die down were erased during a remarkable phase of play following a Brogan free-kick just a minute into the second half.
After Chris Mason’s close-range shot was superbly blocked, the ball dropped to James Roberts, who saw his effort deflect onto the bar.
Glen Taylor couldn’t force it over the line, before Mark Anderson smashed a goalbound shot which was saved by James.
Gateshead then went straight down the other end and were denied a third when Hibbs nicked the ball away from Kayode, about to tap in Tear’s cross.
Heed goalkeeper James almost gifted Moors an equaliser a minute later when he palmed Roberts’ deep looping cross onto his own bar, with the alert Michael Nelson hacking the rebound clear and no-one able to force home Roberts’ driven ball across the box.
Moors continued to apply pressure to a tiring Heed back-line, and the majority of the 1500-plus supporters inside the Brewery Field thought Taylor had found the equaliser with a stunning header.
However, the linesman’s flag denied what would have been a fully deserved leveller, ramping up frustration levels amongst the home faithful.
With 15 minutes remaining of an enthralling encounter, Gateshead extended their lead against the run of play when Olley was allowed time in the box to curl a shot into the bottom corner.