Gateshead 1
(Dinanga 48′)
United 1
(Evans 70′)
It finished all-square on Saturday in the North East, as United came from behind to secure a point at Gateshead.
Following a blank first-half, Marcus Dinanga fired Gateshead in front to put The Gulls on the back foot, however Gary Johnson’s side responded well, and levelled things up through Keiron Evans midway through the second period. Neither side could produce a winner though, leaving both sides to settle for a point.
Following last weekend’s late reverse at home to Wealdstone, the Gaffer made three changes to the starting XI, with Brett McGavin, Dean Moxey and debutant Jack Stobbs replacing Tom Lapslie, Ali Omar and Lewis Collins.
The early stages saw chances for both sides.
With barely 2 minutes on the clock, Tope Fadahunsi fed strike partner Aaron Jarvis inside the box inside the box, however his right-footed effort was blocked at source.
The home side duly responded, with Ward sending a low drive narrowly wide of Mark Halstead’s far post.
Connor Pani was next to try his luck, and with his 8th-minute effort bouncing just in front of Halstead, Torquay’s No.1 did well to parry the ball round the upright.
The reaction from Gary Johnson’s side was nearly emphatic.
In the 13th minute, Jarvis robbed the ball off AWOL home stopper Filip Marschall by the corner flag, before sending the ball back across goal to Stobbs on the edge of the box. Stobbs’ shot was certainly goalbound, however retreating defender Kenton Richardson arrived just in time to save his goalkeeper’s blushes and clear the ball just short of the goalline.
Sparked into life by that let-off, the hosts created their clearest opening nine minutes later, as Pani was played into space on the left of the box. Despite jinking left and right though, he was unable to shake off the attentions of a number of defenders in yellow, with The Heed forward eventually forced to fire wide.
With United’s commitment inside their own penalty area seeing them block and clear everything that entered it, the home support was becoming increasingly frustrated as the half headed towards the interval, and had Evans’ low shot on a Fadahunsi pass been either side of the ‘keeper – rather than straight at him – the locals may would have had even more to ponder on at the break.
As it was, it remained scoreless at the change of ends.
It wasn’t long after the restart that The Gulls fell behind though.
Kamil Conteh’s committed sliding challenge in the centre of midfield saw the ball make its way to Dinanga on the run, and from just left of the D, he fired a diagonal low shot past Halstead’s outstretched hand to make it 1-0.
Despite his best efforts, Halstead was becoming increasingly hampered by an injury, and he was unfortunately forced to admit defeat, making way for Rhys Lovett shortly after.
At that point, things looked bleak. United though, weren’t in the mood to lie down without a fight.
Knowing that they had to gamble whilst remaining alert to the threat of the break, Johnson’s men soaked up everything their opponents and a torrential downpour chucked in their direction, with one particular double-block from Lovett and Ross Marshall keeping their side in the contest.
With 20 minutes remaining, a chance for salvation arose, and boy, did Evans take it.
Stobbs’ run down the right ended with just the type of ball that defenders hate to deal with, and with the ball falling nicely to the Cardiff loanee on the edge of the box, his spectacular volley found its destination, into the back of the net to make it 1-1.
The home side – equally desperate for maximum points themselves – applied most of the pressure in the time that remained thereafter, however the men in yellow held firm, and with four minutes remaining, they nearly claimed the winner the 173 heroic travelling supporters craved.
Superb hold-up play from Jarvis saw him win possession inside the penalty area, and with Evans unmarked by the penalty spot, it was only a last-ditch extended boot that prevented the Welshman from sending the United camp into raptures.
At the other end, what can only be described as a monumental header off the line from Moxey stopped Conteh denying Johnson’s men of a hard-earned point, but as the final whistle sounded, both sides were left having to settle for a share of the spoils.
GATESHEAD: 1. Filip Marschall, 2. Robbie Tinkler, 3. Ethan Pye, 5. Kenton Richardson, 6. Louis Storey, 9. Marcus Dinanga (15. Aaron Martin, 62′), 11. Adam Campbell, 12. Dan Ward (10. Greg Olley, 73′), 17. Connor Pani, 18. Ed Francis, 42. Kamil Conteh.
SUBS NOT USED: 31. James Montgomery, 32. Carl Magnay, 39. Oliver Thompson.
UNITED: 1. Mark Halstead (c) (22. Rhys Lovett, 58′), 6. Ross Marshall, 9. Aaron Jarvis, 10. Tope Fadahunsi, 11. Kieron Evans, 14. Brett McGavin (8. Asa Hall, 73′), 16. Shaun Donnellan, 19. Nico Lawrence, 21. Dean Moxey, 27. Jack Stobbs, 28. Kevin Dawson (7. Ryan Hanson, 73′).
SUBS NOT USED: 5. Ali Omar, 15. Ben Wyatt.
Attendance: 1,024 (173 away)