Heed need good win to get back on track
GATESHEAD travel to lowly Bradford Park Avenue tonight looking to claim their first points of 2022.
It has been a sobering start to the new year for the Heed, who followed up a narrow defeat at Blyth with another at home to Chorley.
While the derby setback was unpalatable, Saturday’s 1-0 defeat against promotion rivals Chorley was much more damaging.
Victory saw the Magpies replace Gateshead in second place in National League North as the Heed dropped their first points on home soil.
Player-manager Mike Williamson made a welcome return to the back line but will need a run of games to get back up to speed.
With the quick turnaround for tonight’s game in Yorkshire and a plastic pitch to boot, the 38-year-old is unlikely to start.
That could see new signing Carl Magnay, back at hometown club Gateshead after a sevenyear absence, come into contention.
The return of captain and playmaker Greg Olley midway through the second half galvanised the Tynesiders against Chorley.
Prior to that Williamson’s men had been off the pace, uncharacteristically sluggish on a heavy pitch against impressive and determined title rivals.
Mike Calveley’s header just before the hour, when he got goal side of Alex Nicholson, proved to be the decisive moment in a tight game.
Williamson said: “Our offensive play, starting from the back, wasn’t good enough and our intensity and energy also weren’t good enough.
“It was a game of limited chances and a disappointing defeat, but we need a quick reaction and it’s good we’ve got another game so quickly.
“We were miles below the standards that we set for ourselves, so we need a bit of selfreflection, because we’ve got a very quick turnaround.”
Top scorer Macaulay Langstaff had Gateshead’s one clear opening with the game goalless, but failed to beat Magpies keeper Matt Urwin.
With Olley back in the fold after a three-match absence Gateshead, who changed their system at half-time, belatedly laid siege to the visitors’ goal.
Cedwyn Scott, twice, and Louis Storey all forced diving saves from Urwin, but it was too little, too late as the Heed drew a rare blank in front of goal.
They will now look to bounce back at fifth-bottom Bradford PA this evening where victory will put them within two points of leaders Brackley Town.
■ Blyth Spartans manager Terry Mitchell rued a poor first-half display as his side fell to a 3-2 defeat at Curzon Ashton, writes MARK CARRUTHERS.
Curzon took a two-goal lead into half-time as Jamie Cooke and substitute Alex Curran beat Alex Mitchell to put their side in control at the interval.
Spartans made the worst possible start to the second half when home captain Craig Mahon extended the lead to three six minutes after the restart.
Mitchell’s men were given some hope when top goalscorer JJ O’Donnell pulled a goal back five minutes from time, and those hopes were raised when Sado Djalo grabbed his first goal for the club in injury time.
But it was too little, too late for Spartans as Mitchell was left to reflect on a disappointing day. He told the club website: “(I am) very disappointed, I think I’ll say this every time we lose a game.
“But in the manner we have lost it, in the first half, is the most disappointing thing.
“We told them in no uncertain terms, they set a great standard in the last two games, but we looked nothing like we did, did we?
“We cannot get up for the derbies at home, and then come away and play other teams and not do exactly the same.”
Darlington enjoyed their biggest win of the season as a hattrick from attacking midfielder Jack Lambert inspired them to a 6-0 hammering of Farsley Celtic.
Lambert wrapped up his treble inside the opening 42 minutes, and there was no let-up after the restart as Jarrett Rivers grabbed a fourth goal seven minutes into the second half.
Substitute Tyrone O’Neill made it five on 72 minutes and fellow replacement Kevin Dos Santos rounded off the rout with just under four minutes remaining.
Ryan Hall came off the bench to help Spennymoor Town claim all three points in a hardfought home game against Guiseley.
Lions forward Jordan Thewlis cancelled out a first-half strike from Rob Ramshaw.
But Hall made an instant impact as he made the most of a neat flick from Glen Taylor.