GOLDEN BOY BROWN IS DE MAN TO SAVE HEED

TEENAGE substitute Dejaune Brown fired a 96th-minute equaliser to hand Gateshead a deserved share of the spoils, just when it seemed the gods weren’t shining on them.

Despite dominating for long spells, play-off hopefuls Heed found themselves behind to Kabongo Tshimanga’s 26th-minute opener.

Luke Hannant and Brown each struck the woodwork for the fifthplaced visitors before the 18-year-old striker, on loan from Derby County, found a way through for Rob Elliot’s men to net his first senior goal.

“I think we deserved that in the end,” winger Hannant said on X.

“We dominated possession and another positive performance. I’m buzzing for

Daj, his attitude has been brilliant since coming in.

“Thanks to the fans who travelled again.”

The Heed started on the front foot with Callum Whelan firing just wide inside the first five minutes and Ed Francis testing Nathan Ashmore in the Wood goal.

Both top scorer Marcus Dinanga and Mamadou Jobe headed efforts wide before Boreham Wood took the lead against the run of play with their first meanigful attack on 27 minutes when Tshimanga finished well from a tight angle following an excellent run.

The goal didn’t knock Gateshead off their stride, however, as the visitors kept coming.

Kieron Evans had a shot cleared off the line by Chris Bush and, a minute later, Hannant saw a shot crash off the crossbar with Francis firing the rebound high and wide.

The Heed controlled the start of the second half in much the same way they did the first – Kain Adom steering an effort wide five minutes after the restart and Hannant letting fly from distance but proving no test for Ashmore in the Wood goal.

Angelo Balanta might have doubled Wood’s lead when presented with a decent chance, but he could only shoot straight at Heed keeper James Montgomery.

Tyrone Marsh then saw his longrange effort drift just wide but that was it for Wood as an attacking force as Heed upped the ante in search of an equaliser.

Brown, on as an 82nd-minute substitute, saw his deflected shot came off the Wood post.

That aside, Wood seemed to be holding on comfortably until the 96th minute when Brown waltzed through the Wood defence to equalise and send the 49 hardy Gateshead supporters into raptures and seal the point which keeps the Heed fifth in the table.

It was no more than they deserved.

Wood boss Luke Garrard acknowledged that his team were second best. He told The NLP: “It was attack against defence for most of the game and we were fortunate to be in front.

“However losing a goal on 95 minutes is hard to take.” STAR MAN: Ed Francis (Gateshead) ATT: 907 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Ross Martin