Match Report: Jack McGraghan

Ten-man Gateshead scored an injury-time winner against league leaders Eastleigh to maintain their unbeaten start to the season and go top of the National League table. 

The Heed had taken the lead at the end of the first half through Owen Oseni’s header, before a red card for Tom Allan led to Scott Quigley equalising after Chris Maguire’s penalty was saved by Tiernan Brooks.

Louis Storey then struck in the 90^th minute to steal three points at the death, leaving Gateshead as the only National League side to remain unbeaten after six games.

Rob Elliot’s side came into their third home game of the season sitting once place and two points behind Eastleigh, who led the league standings with four wins and one draw from their opening five prior to kick off.

Gateshead had control of the opening 45, despite it being light on clear chances for either side, as both they and Eastleigh proved why they remained unbeaten at kick off.

Storey sent a header wide from Jacob Butterfield’s cross early on before Tyrese Shade blazed over the crossbar from Maguire’s corner, though both goalkeepers went untested until Joe McDonnell held Oseni’s header on 28 minutes.

Paul McCallum passed up Eastleigh’s best chance of the half when he headed wide from the centre of the penalty area five minutes before the break, and it took until first half injury time for Gateshead to break the deadlock.

A half-cleared corner allowed Storey to combine with Regan Booty on the right flank, before the latter lofted a precise ball into the box for Oseni to rise and head into the top corner for his third goal of the season.

Photo: Emilio Kirtley

Gateshead stepped up their control on the game after the restart in search of a second, only for the next blow to be dealt by Eastleigh when a penalty was awarded and Allan was sent off for handballing Quigley’s header on the goal line.

For a brief moment it seemed as though Brooks had kept his side in front when he parried Maguire’s spot-kick away, only for Quigley to react first and convert the rebound to draw his side level just after the hour mark.

Both sides sent efforts wide of the mark in the 10 minutes after the equaliser, with Jake Taylor curling over Gateshead’s crossbar while Tyrelle Newton sent an effort just wide of the near post at the other end.

The Heed’s 10 men refused to settle for a solitary point however and got their reward as the clock ticked over into the 90^th minute, with Booty again sending a pinpoint cross into the box for Storey to flick into the far corner and spark wild celebrations from those in black and white.

Photo: Charlie Waugh

Storey’s last-gasp goal proved enough to see Gateshead through to a third home win in a row, taking them top of the league table with 14 points after six games. 

Gateshead: Brooks, Tinkler, Richardson (Belehouan, 46’), Storey, Hannant, Allan, Booty, Worman, Whelan (Beck, 87’), Butterfield (Newton, 65’), Oseni (Adom, 77’).

Substitutes: Basey, Colkett, McGowan.

Goals: Oseni (45+3’), Storey (90’)

Yellow Cards: Whelan (57’)

Red Card: Allan (61’)

Eastleigh: McDonnell, Francillette, Humphries, Maguire, Maher, McCallum, Semenyo (Quigley, 46’ (Hodson, 65’)), Shade, Taylor, Vokins (Boutin, 78’), Waruih.

Substitutes: Dotse, Rogers, Scott, Webber.

Goals: Quigley (63’)

Yellow Cards: Semenyo (14’), Waruih (89’)

Attendance: 1,302 (41 away)