Match Report: Jack McGraghan

Ed Francis’ first goal in black and white sent Gateshead home from Aldershot Town with a point in the Vanarama National League.

The midfielder struck five minutes from time – after Josh Stokes had put the hosts in front 58 minutes in – to ensure The Heed went four games unbeaten, despite a largely dominant display perhaps deserving more at the EBB Stadium.

Mike Williamson named an unchanged squad following his side’s 6-0 win at Eastleigh the week prior, with the starting XI remaining as it was at the Silverlake Stadium.

Gateshead carried on from where they left off on another scorching afternoon in Hampshire by controlling possession and attacking with intent, with Francis and Stephen Wearne both sending efforts wide of goal early on.

Jack Bycroft – who would prove to play a pivotal part in preventing Gateshead from taking all three points – was called upon to bail Aldershot out multiple times in the first half, firstly holding a relatively comfortable shot from Regan Booty before later blocking Marcus Dinanga’s cross-goal effort.

The goalkeeper was on hand again to stop Francis’ 25-yard free-kick from sneaking into the far corner, throwing himself to his left to parry wide and keep the game goalless at the interval.

Dinanga and Bycroft came face-to-face once more nine minutes into the second half, with arguably the biggest chance to that point, as the forward found himself in the box and with a free shot on goal only for the stopper to once again thwart him from close range.

Aldershot took advantage with their first real chance of the game four minutes later when the ball was worked into the box for Stokes to slot past Archie Mair, though Gateshead would dominate proceedings from here on out.

Dinanga again floated away from his marker in the box and was picked out by Stephen Wearne’s cross from the right, but this time the forward’s header went wide of the near post on 67 minutes.

The Heed’s possession statistic only continued to increase as time went on, and the all-important equaliser arrived five minutes from time through Francis, who was alert in the box to fire home from close range after Wearne battled to latch onto Booty’s ball inside the area.

Gateshead continued to push for a potential winner, with substitutes Connor McBride and Aidan Rutledge seeing efforts saved and wide late on, but were left to settle with a point come the final whistle.

Gateshead: Mair, Tinkler, Richardson, Grayson, Hunter (Allan, 64′), Hannant (McBride, 80′), Francis, Booty, Olley, Wearne, Dinanga (Rutledge, 80′).

Substitutes: Chadwick, Storey.

Goals: Francis (85′)

Yellow Cards: Richardson (55′)

Aldershot Town: Bycroft, Harfield, Harries, Frost, Tolaj (Barham, 62′), Stokes (Willard, 90+2′), Glover (Widdrington, 75′), Jones, Scott, Dyche, Thomas.

Substitutes: Mnoga, Rowe.

Goals: Stokes (58′)

Yellow Cards: Harries (37′), Tolaj (42′)

Attendance: 1,948 (57 Gateshead)