Match Report: Jack McGraghan

Marcus Dinanga’s double took Gateshead within one point of National League safety at Aldershot Town.

The forward netted twice inside ten second-half minutes to give The Heed control – after Joe Partington and Adam Campbell struck in the first half – despite a late consolation from Corey Jordan.

Midfield duo Callum Whelan and Greg Olley returned to the starting line up at The EBB Stadium with Gateshead looking to continue their impressive away form since Boxing Day, with only one defeat in eight prior to kick off.

The opening 10 minutes didn’t quite go to plan however, with Partington flicking a set-piece into the far corner of the net to hand Aldershot an early advantage, although that proved to be their only chance in the opening 45.

The Heed responded strongly and proved the dominant side from there on out, and Dinanga showed glimpses of his threat to come around the 18-yard box, though Aldershot shirts were able to block two of his early efforts.

It took 12 minutes for the visitors to draw level, with Filip Marschall and Dan Ward combining to set Campbell free down the right side, and he duly obliged with the finish in slotting past Luca Ashby-Hammond and in off the far post for his eighth league goal of the season.

Gateshead continued to push forward for a second, rather than rest on their laurels, and both Campbell and Ward came close to finding an unmarked Dinanga in the six-yard box only for their low crosses to be hooked away by Aldershot men.

Ashby-Hammond was on hand to make two stops from efforts inside the box by Campbell and Ed Francis as the half wore on, with the hosts ultimately surviving the pressure until the break.

Two minutes after that however, Aldershot’s guard was breached. Olley found Campbell on the right with a swerving through ball, before the forward returned the favour for the captain to lay across to Dinanga, who slotted into an empty net to hand his side the lead.

Not content with a one-goal lead though, the visitors looked more likely to strike next and Campbell thought he had done just that after following up Dinanga’s initial effort, only for the offside flag to chalk off his second of the afternoon.

Ten minutes after his first, Dinanga had Ashby-Hammond picking the ball out of his net for a third time as he latched onto Olley’s through ball and lashed into the top corner, making it three of his own inside two games.

Ward was next to join the goalscoring hunt and almost found a fourth via a slice of good fortune, with his 20-yard effort taking a deflection before looping just over the crossbar.

Aldershot took until injury-time to try and spark a comeback when Jordan nodded home unmarked at the back post, but it proved too little, too late as Gateshead held on for all three points.

Gateshead: Marschall, Tinkler, Storey, Pye, Ward, Whelan (Magnay, 90+2′), Francis, Pani, Campbell, Olley (Wearne, 64′), Dinanga (Martin, 83′).

Substitutes: Montgomery, Thompson.

Goals: Campbell (19′), Dinanga (47′, 57′)

Yellow Cards: Pye (45+2′), Campbell (90′)

Aldershot Town: Ashby-Hammond, Amaluzor, Barham, Cordner, Frost, Glover, Jordan, Kenlock, Partington (McQuoid, 80′), Pendlebury (Campbell, 67′), Rowe (Klass, 46′).

Substitutes: Ochieng, Hutchinson.

Goals: Partington (7′), Jordan (90+2′)

Yellow Cards: Cordner (32′), Kenlock (45+3′)