Match Report: Jack McGraghan

Gateshead ended the opening day of the 2024/25 season on top of the Vanarama National League table after a ruthless 5-1 win over Ebbsfleet United. 

Callum Whelan opened The Heed’s account for the new campaign after just 12 minutes, before a debut goal from Owen Oseni and a Greg Olley hat-trick capped off a fine opening day display.

The afternoon ended with concern however, with Joe Grayson stretchered off following an injury in the 95^th minute and taken to hospital following full time.

Manager Rob Elliot handed competitive debuts to Tiernan Brooks, Tyrelle Newton, Jacob Butterfield and Owen Oseni in the season’s curtain raiser, with the Heed’s gaffer also taking charge of his first league game as permanent boss.

Butterfield came close to opening the scoring with only two minutes on the clock when goalkeeper Mark Cousins was caught 20 yards off his line, but volleyed over the crossbar with an empty net within reach.

Whelan grabbed the first goal of the afternoon, and his first of the season, with 12 minutes gone though as Regan Booty’s miscued shot fell into the Whelan’s path for the midfielder to curl into the far corner.

Butterfield had another golden chance to net his first Gateshead goal midway through the half when he fired a loose ball over from close range, but Owen Oseni would soon find his by pouncing on a defensive mix-up to lash home from inside the penalty area.

Whelan then saw efforts blocked and wide of goal in his search for The Heed’s third, which would come in first half injury time as Olley swept an incisive passing move into the bottom corner to put his side three goals ahead at the break.

Olley picked up where he left off only four minutes into the second 45 to make it four when he slotted Booty’s lofted ball past Cousins from close range, and 10 minutes later sealed his opening day hat-trick by converting Newton’s cross into the penalty area to make it five-nil.

A raft of changes saw Mark Beck and Will McGowan make their league debuts in the second half, while half-chances to add a sixth passed by as Kain Adom fired into Cousins’ grasp before Tom Allan beat his man on the edge of the box only to fire wide.

An otherwise positive opening day performance ended in unfortunate circumstances however, as Grayson was withdrawn by stretcher after attempting to block a cross deep into injury time and subsequently taken to hospital following full time.

Ebbsfleet did pull a goal back one minute later with Gateshead down to 10 men when Dominic Poleon converted a pinpoint cross to deny Brooks an opening day clean sheet, but Gateshead’s efficiency in front of goal saw them take all three points and go top of the league table on the first day of the season.

Gateshead: Brooks, Tinkler, Richardson, Grayson (90+5’), Hannant, Newton (Adom, 64’), Booty, Butterfield (Beck, 72’), Whelan (McGowan, 68’), Olley (Worman, 72’), Oseni (Allan, 64’).

Substitutes: Moss, Storey.

Goals: Whelan (12’), Oseni (34’), Olley (45+3’, 49’, 59’)

Yellow Cards: Whelan (43’), Newton (53’)

Ebbsfleet United: Cousins, O’Neill (Thomas, 46’), Page, Cordner (Phillips, 60’), John (Dallison, 46’), Wright (Fonguck, 58’), Kellermann, Chapman, Edser (Tanner, 79’), Samuel, Poleon.

Substitutes: Cundle, Berry.

Yellow Cards: O’Neill (11’), Cordner (26’), Page (27’), Kellermann (34’), Edser (78’)

Attendance: 1,242 (79 away)