LONG TRIP FOR LITTLE REWARD
THE current longest road trip in English football saw outpost clubs Gateshead and Torquay share the spoils in a point of limited value to either as they battle to avoid relegation.
For the Heed it was a third straight draw on home soil, though Farsley Celtic were dispatched on penalties in the FA Trophy, the point only Torquay’s second from the last seven games.
Both sides, particularly the Gulls, have work to do if they are to avoid the drop, fourth-bottom Gateshead remaining three points better off than Torquay having played two games fewer.
As Gateshead had won only three times at home and Torquay three away, a stalemate on Tyneside was not a coupon buster.
The Heed led through Marcus Dinanga’s fine strike and had enough chances to have won the game, but once again couldn’t finish.
Torquay’s dogged defence survived many a threat either side of Kieron Evans’ 70th minute equaliser, their blocks in the box a feature throughout a lively encounter.
Gulls boss Gary Johnson, booked for dissent in the second half, was the happier of the two managers.
“I was pleased we picked up a point as it didn’t look like we were going to do that,” said Johnson, “but the spirit of our defending was very good.
“Gateshead outplayed us in football terms on the day. They had a lot of opportunities on the edge of our box and had runners, but we showed the spirit to keep the ball out of the net.
“The truth is we got away with a point. Everyone wanted us, and thought we could get, all three, but we were not at the top of our game because six or seven people haven’t played enough recently.”
Both sides showed why their survival battle is an increasingly difficult one following an edgy first half where half chances fell to both.
But in the third minute of the restart, Gateshead got the break they craved when loanee Kamil Conteh’s challenge on Kevin Dawson saw the ball break to Dinanga, who found the bottom corner from outside the box.
Campbell almost made it two before Stobbs’ cross from the right produced a clinical finish from another Gulls loanee, Evans, to restore parity.
Dean Moxey then superbly headed Conteh’s edge-of-the-box 88th minute pile-driver off the line to ensure that the resilient Gulls at least made the mammoth 385-mile journey back to Torbay with something to show for their efforts in the north-east.
STAR MAN:
Nico Lawrence (Torquay)
ATT: 1,024
ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★
REFEREE: Daniel Middleton