Match Report: Jack McGraghan

Gateshead dropped points at home for only the second time this season as they were held to a draw by Aldershot Town. 

The Heed went into the break ahead after strikes from Owen Oseni and Callum Whelan had overturned Josh Barrett’s early opener, before Jack Barham’s leveller 11 minutes into the second 45 saw the spoils shared.

Owen Mason was handed his Gateshead debut after joining on loan from Mansfield Town earlier this week, while Brandon Haunstrup and Kain Adom started in place of Dan Jones and the suspended Luke Hannant.

Robbie Tinkler came inches away from putting The Heed in front in sensational style with six minutes on the clock, only for the crossbar to deny his 30-yard strike from crashing into the back of the net.

It would be Aldershot who took an early lead though, as Barham squared across the 18-yard box for Barrett to tap into an empty net, with strong claims of offside against the latter ignored.

Gateshead were level within eight minutes however through Oseni’s eighth National League goal of the season, with the forward rising to head Haunstrup’s deep cross past Marcus Dewhurst at the back post.

The hosts gained the upper hand for much of the first half from then on out, and Jacob Butterfield was denied twice by saves from Dewhurst in Gateshead’s search for a second.

That search bore fruit on 34 minutes, with Butterfield again drawing a save from Dewhurst from just inside the box, allowing Whelan to follow up and slot into an empty net to make it two-one.

The Heed perhaps should have had a third two minutes later, with Butterfield and Whelan combining from a short corner to square for Adom on the edge of the six-yard box, only for the winger to fire over the bar first time.

Aldershot took advantage 11 minutes into the second half as Barham turned goalscorer, slotting past Mason on the rebound to draw his side level early into the second period.

Oseni came closest to notching a third for Gateshead on 67 minutes when he was played inside the penalty area, but his left-footed strike flashed an inch wide of the far post with Dewhurst beaten.

Mason and Dewhurst were both called into action to make routine saves late on, but no side could find an elusive third goal, meaning the points were shared at Gateshead International Stadium.

Gateshead: Mason, Radcliffe, Tinkler, Haunstrup (Belehouan, 46’), Adom (Williams, 65’), Newton, Booty, Whelan, Worman, Butterfield (Malcolm, 81’), Oseni.

Substitutes: Basey, Home, Jones, Thompson.

Yellow Cards: Tinkler (63’).

Aldershot Town: Dewhurst, Akpan, Barham, Barrett (Ghandour, 70’), Henry (Frost, 68’), Jones, Maghoma, Menayese, Scott, Tetek (Hargreaves, 65’), Widdrington (Mullins, 81’).

Substitutes: Byrd, Corbett, Nash.

Goals: Barrett (11’), Barham (56’)

Yellow Cards: Scott (18’), Maghoma (42’), Akpan (88’)

Attendance: 1,342 (113 away)