Tamworth 1 Gateshead 0

Date: Wednesday 3rd March 2010, by Tynesider

One man shouldn't make a team, but unfortunately for us it's fast becoming apparent that a Gate-less Gateshead struggle to get going. Worse may follow before it can get better as the outstanding James Curtis picked up a booking to send him into a two match suspension. He will miss both Histon and Rushden away.

Gatehead started the match brightly with their usual high tempo. Forcing a sucession of early corners, Tamworth were left scrambling to keep the Tynesiders out. Sadly though after this period was seen out by the Lambs, Gateshead then ran out of ideas with Tamworth grabbing a very dubious winner.

After the opening twenty minute period the first half took on a messy pattern of toothless attacks from both sides. Gateshead slipped into long ball mode, giving Wake and Clare virtually no service as the ball bypassed the centre of the park. Curtis and Jones dealt well with the Tamworth attack, but the five man midfield the Lambs sent out slowly started to take control.

Iysden Christie scored the only goal 10 minutes after the break. With Tamworth building pressure on the Gateshead goal, a set play saw a Christie header fly towards the far corner only for Heckingbottom to head off the line, the referee waved play on then after a couple seconds the linesman flagged for a goal. Very dubious to say the least as Heckingbottom appeared to be standing on the line with his hand on the post, for the entire ball to have crossed the line surely he would've had to be standing a good two or three foot behind it?

Tamworth then pressed on again, with Paul Farman making an excellent double stop down to his left hand side.

Gateshead switched to a five man midfield in an attempt to match up to Tamworth's. Substitute Alex Francis came the closest to getting something out of the match for us, as he muscled his way in side the area only to scuff his shot wide of the post.

The match had 0-0 written all over it, if it hadn't been for the linesman. But in truth we were worryingly toothless and ran out of ideas far too quickly. Zero shots on goal is simply unacceptable, and if we're gonna revert to long-ball so much then Graeme Armstrong will have to come back in for Brian Wake. The midfield must also step up to the plate on Saturday and take some collective responsibility for filling Kris Gate's boots. Phil Turnbull is great when going forward, but he must learn to dig in when they're coming at us or we'll continue to be overrun.

GATESHEAD: Farman, Baxter (Francis 70), Curtis, Jones, Heckingbottom, Turnbull, Parkinson (Phillips 60), Ferrell, Winn, Wake (Armstrong 79), Clare. Subs (not used): Provett, Swailes.

Up next...

Last time out...

New stadium...

Dates for your diary...

Links...

Tamworth 1 Gateshead 0