Match Report: Jack McGraghan

Gateshead were dealt a heavy defeat by Doncaster Rovers in a behind closed doors friendly at Cantley Park Training Ground.

The Heed trailed by three at half time through Billy Sharp’s double and ex-Heed midfielder Owen Bailey’s strike, with Jovan Malcolm hitting the crossbar with a penalty just before the break.

Glenn Middleton and Joe Sbarra added a further two each in the final half an hour to see the scoreline end in Doncaster Rovers’ favour and end a difficult afternoon for Alun Armstrong’s side.

Armstrong named Kenton Richardson and Joe Grayson alongside new arrivals Callum Johnson and David Ferguson in defence for the first time at Cantley Park, with academy midfielder Callum Bone also handed a starting berth.

The game’s opening opportunity fell the way of Kain Adom two minutes in, who sent a 20-yard strike just over the crossbar via the helping hand of home goalkeeper Ian Lawlor.

Robbie Gotts would be denied by Tiernan Brooks at the other end with 16 minutes on the clock – his downward header proving too tame to beat the Heed stopper from close range.

The hosts took the lead one minute later however, with Sharp alert to convert from inside the box after Middleton had struck the crossbar with a 25-yard free kick.

Jovan Malcolm looked to restore parity moments later when he burst down the left flank and cut inside, only to send his shot over Lawlor’s crossbar, and Doncaster took advantage just before the half-hour mark to make it two when Bailey prodded past Brooks from close range.

Sharp added a third from the penalty spot with 33 minutes gone after Will Flint was judged to have been pulled down inside the box, before Malcolm threatened once more from the left only to this time flash his effort low and wide of the far post from 20 yards.

Malcolm would be presented with the chance to get Gateshead on the scoresheet one minute before the break after Adom was scythed down in the box on the break, only to see his dinked spot kick come down off the underside of the crossbar.

Gateshead threatened from the flanks once more early on in the second 45 when Adom chopped inside his man near the goal-line, but elected to go for goal and curl over the crossbar with Malcolm free inside the box.

Doncaster took full advantage at the other end in a 15-minute blitz which brought four goals the home side’s way, with Middleton and Sbarra alternating to strike twice each and leave the scoreline at seven-nil with 75 minutes on the clock.

A mostly youthful Heed side would play out the final half-an-hour with academy duo Christian Lynn and Carter Milmore two of the 10 changes – which also saw George Shelvey play his first pre-season fixture.

Gateshead: Brooks (Shelvey, 61’), Johnson (Pani, 61’), Richardson (Williams, 61’), Grayson (Milmore, 61’), Ferguson (Lynn, 61’), Akinola (Sheaf, 61’), John, Bone (Thompson, 61’), Adom (Trialist, 61’), Malcolm (Trialist, 61’), Nouble (Lowery, 61’).

Doncaster Rovers: Lawlor, Maxwell, Bailey, Sbarra, O’Riordan, Sharp (Ironside, 46’), Nixon, G. Middleton, Gotts, Flint, Close.

Substitutes: Bryant, Cashmore, F. Middleton.

Goals: Sharp (17’, 33’ (pen)), Bailey (26’), G. Middleton (60’, 70’), Sbarra (62’, 75’)