Match Report: Jack McGraghan

Gateshead exited the Emirates FA Cup following a fourth round qualifying replay defeat to Hednesford Town on home soil.

The Heed had gone in front through Owen Oseni’s early strike, only to be taken into half time on level terms after Jack Bearne bundled home for the visitors.

A six-minute double from Rob Stevenson and Sion Spence then put Hednesford two in front after the interval, deciding the tie and seeing Gateshead exit the competition.

The hosts went into Tuesday’s replay with new manager Carl Magnay watching on from the stands – alongside incoming coach Liam Bridcutt – while Ben Clark took interim charge for the final time from the dugout.

Things started well for those in black and white when Oseni made it one-nil after 10 minutes, connecting with Regan Booty’s cross from the left to prod past Jack Rose in the Hednesford goal.

Oseni could have grabbed a second only two minutes later when he was sent one-on-one by Kain Adom, only for his touch around Rose to veer marginally too far wide and force him to put his shot wide of the near post.

Hednesford equalised with a rare foray forward in the 22^nd minute, with Adom dispossessed in the final third before a counter attack culminated in Bearne nudging past Harry Moss from close range.

Ben Worman and Callum Whelan both saw efforts from outside of the penalty area thwarted by Rose before the break, but it was Hednesford who took the initiative in the second 45.

A short corner routine led to The Pitmen taking the lead with 55 minutes on the clock, as Manny Duku’s dummy was struck first time by Stevenson into Moss’ left-hand corner to leave Gateshead chasing the tie.

Hednesford netted a third six minutes later to take control of the game, with a low cross from the left sent past Moss by Spence’s first-time effort from 15 yards out.

Mark Beck came closest to offering Gateshead hope of a way back into the tie late on when he met Luke Hannant’s cross from close range, only to be denied by a reaction save from Rose on his line.

Gateshead: Moss, Hannant, Haunstrup (Belehouan, 62’), Booty, Adom (Allan, 62’), Newton, Colkett (Beck, 67’), Worman (Home, 81’), Whelan (Butterfield, 62’), Malcolm, Oseni.

Substitutes: Basey, Carr.

Goals: Oseni (10’)

Yellow Cards: Newton (90+5’)

Hednesford Town: Rose, Roberts, Taylor, Maye, Endall, Johnson, Bearne, Spence, Stevenson, Trickett-Smith, McHale.

Substitutes: Duku, Sutherland, Rowe, Brown, Alamu-Tajdeen, Gwilt, Holness.

Goals: Bearne (22’), Stevenson (55’), Spence (61’)

Attendance: 782 (39 away)