Match Report: Jack McGraghan

Gateshead were defeated by two against Middlesbrough in their second Group D fixture in the 2025/26 National League Cup. 

Goals from Jayden Carbon and Hazeem Bakre were enough to see Boro over the line at Gateshead International Stadium, with The Heed yet to get off the mark in Group D.

The most notable inclusion of the night saw midfielder and assistant manager Jacob Butterfield included in the starting 11 for the first time since November 2024, returning from a long-term injury to make his first appearance of the season.

The visitors took the lead as early as five minutes in to start on the front foot, with Carbon playing a one-two on the edge of the box before curling into the far corner to put Boro ahead.

Gateshead almost responded in kind four minutes later when Kyle Hurst burst down the left flank and sent a low ball across the six-yard box, but Lucas Lowery wasn’t quite able to connect to prod goalwards.

Connor Pani came close on the half-hour mark when his 20-yard strike came crashing back off the crossbar, while at the other end Middlesbrough should have made it two only for Bakre to blaze over the bar from 12 yards.

Bakre would make amends seven minutes into the second half though, connecting with Carbon’s deft touch towards the back post to slot in for Middlesbrough’s second of the night.

Tiernan Brooks was to thank for keeping the score at two with an hour gone when he blocked Eric Hamelberg’s one-on-one, before later thwarting the Boro number seven again with a strong hand to his 20-yard shot.

Carbon clipped the top of the crossbar for the visitors with an attempted cross approaching the final 10 minutes, while at the other end substitutes Frank Nouble and Curtis Edwards linked up as the latter headed the forward’s cross wide from close range.

A late strike from Lowery would whistle wide of the near post in the game’s final action, leaving Gateshead defeated on Tyneside.

Gateshead: Brooks, Pani, Flint, Williams, Ferguson (Chapman, 83’), Butterfield (Edwards, 65’), John (Home, 46’), Bone, Hurst (Thompson, 42’), Fitzhugh (Nouble, 65’) Lowery.

Substitutes: Leech, Sheaf.

Yellow Cards: Ferguson (79’), Home (90’)

Middlesbrough U21: Foster, Acheampong, Bakre (Finch, 72’), Baptiste, Carbon (Howells, 90’), Cartwright, Hamelberg (Lennon, 90’), Johnson, McCormick (Samuels, 46’), Patterson-Powell (Coulson, 72’), Woolston.

Substitutes: Lloyd, Greenup.

Goals: Carbon (5’), Bakre (52’)