Heed make Cup draw as they earn replay match
ALTRINCHAM 2 GATESHEAD 2
GATESHEAD are in tomorrow night’s televised FA Cup 1st round draw after they earned a replay against fellow National League outfit Altrincham.
The Heed responded superbly to conceding an early goal to lead at the break through Robbie Tinkler and Greg Olley strikes.
In-form former Hartlepool striker Marcus Dinanga’s 72nd minute equaliser ensured the two sides will do it all again at the International Stadium on Tuesday.
Gateshead could have been out of sight at the break with teenage Huddersfield Town loanee Luke Daley missing a glorious chance in first-half stoppage time.
That would have given the Heed a two-goal advantage, famed Cup fighters Altrincham asking more questions after the break.
“I was really pleased with the performance, not so much the result,” said Gateshead player-manager Mike Williamson.
“I felt as though a lot of key decisions went against us, especially early on, and their first goal was a clear foul on Magnay in our eyes.
“We responded extremely well and while we are disappointed we are still in the hat.
“The desire, intensity and structure was there, better than the last time we played them, which is a positive.
“There were big moments in the game where we were found a little bit wanting, but I’m not going to criticise anyone for missing chances.
“We had many chances and the game could have been comfortably put to bed, but on the whole the performance was fantastic.”
Gateshead had early claims for a handball in the box by James Jones turned down before the Robins had the ball in the net after just eight minutes. Dinanga won the ball back to find Chris Conn-clarke who gave Dan Langley in the Heed goal no chance.
Given Altrincham had recently won 3-1 in the league on Tyneside recently it was not the start Williamson’s men were looking for.
Parity, however, was soon restored as September Player of the Month Robbie Tinkler’s low drive from outside the box found the bottom corner.
That galvanised Gateshead, who went on to cause their hosts plenty of problems in the opening 45 minutes.
Dan Ward and Adam Campbell both tested Robins keeper Ollie Byrne before Langley made an important save from James Jones’ header.
Captain Greg Olley then put the Heed ahead five minutes from the break with his second goal of the season.
A good move opened up the heart of the Alty defence and Olley finished clinically.
A pivotal moment in the tie then arrived in stoppage time when Ward drove forward to drive a tasty ball across goal.
Daley’s first goal in senior football beckoned, but the 19-year-old wastefully blasted the ball over the bar.
It was a big miss, young midfielder Lirak Hasani replacing Dan Jarvis, who had started for the first time, at half-time.
Early Altrincham pressure came to nothing, Toby Mullarkey firing just over, Campbell denied by Byrne in the home goal.
The Robins were pushing for an equaliser and it arrived when Dinanga found the roof of the net following a cut-back from the byline.
Byrne had to save bravely from Heed substitute Owen Gallacher as both sides searched for the winner in an open game.
Langley made another important stop in injury time to ensure both sides will be in the hat for the first round draw.
Gateshead will go in to Tuesday’s replay on a run of just one defeat in their last six games, Altrincham unbeaten in three.
ALTRINCHAM: Byrne; E. Jones, Mullarkey (Jackson 90), Lundstram, Cooper, Osborne; Conn-clarke, Pringle (Colclough 69), J. Jones, Dinanga, Malone (Hulme 61) Subs (not used) Roxburgh, Gould, Rodgers, Morris, Goodson
GATESHEAD: Langley; Tinkler, Magnay, Pye, Daley (Gallacher 68); Conteh, Bailey, Olley, Jarvis (Hasani 46), Ward (Yussuf 75), Campbell Subs (not used): Montgomery (gk), Mills, Martin
Referee: Mr. Smith Attendance: 1,262