Match Report: Jack McGraghan

Gateshead moved five points clear of the Enterprise National League relegation zone with a crucial 2-1 win over Yeovil Town.

The Heed earned their second win of the week after beating York on Tuesday night, with goals from Keaton Ward and Mark Beck putting them in the driving seat in the second half.

Yeovil grabbed a consolation through Kyle Ferguson deep into injury time – after being reduced to 10 men following Finn Cousin-Dawson’s red card – though that did little to dampen spirits on Tyneside.

Rob Elliot made one enforced change to the side that defeated York in midweek, with Ben Radcliffe replaced by Sam Bowen via injury in a tactical re-shuffle which saw Kenton Richardson move back into defence while Ward shifted out onto the right flank.

Gateshead had control of proceedings from the first whistle at Gateshead International Stadium, though were dealt an early blow when Levi Amantchi was forced off with an ankle injury, to be replaced by Ash Boatswain.

Harry Chapman saw a curling effort go wide of the Yeovil goal from 20 yards, before Boatswain was sent into the box by Bowen only to lose his footing as he took his first touch with Yeovil stopper Jed Ward rushing off his line.

Despite The Heed’s control though it would be Adam Desbois who would have to make the first save on 32 minutes, parrying clear Brett McGavin’s 30-yard strike which for a moment seemed destined to find the top corner for the visitors.

Boatswain had a golden chance to open the scoring not long afterwards when he was sent in behind the Yeovil defence, but his low shot dragged wide of Jed Ward’s far post from the edge of the box.

Ward would be called upon to make a big save just before half time, reacting quickly to tip Josh Home’s header wide from close range and keep Gateshead at bay at the break.

It took 64 minutes for Ward to be beaten, and it would be his Heed namesake to do so from the penalty spot after Boatswain was wrestled to the floor by Jake Wannell as the two competed for an aerial ball.

Keaton Ward stepped up to find the left-hand corner for his third goal in March, and only 10 minutes later Gateshead would have a second as substitutes combined, with Zak Gilsenan lifting a cross for Beck to head home at the far post on his return from injury.

Gateshead’s two-goal lead could have even been three had Ward not got a strong hand to Chapman’s strike at his near post with just over 10 minutes to go, but the result was all but sealed in injury time when Cousin-Dawson was sent off for Yeovil following a reckless foul on Richardson.

The visitors would halve the deficit six minutes into injury time as Ferguson nodded a corner past Desbois at the back post, though the final whistle would sound moments later to see Gateshead go five points clear of the bottom four.

Gateshead: Desbois, Richardson, Ferguson, Nicholson, Ward, Bowen (Storey, 88’), Home (Gilsenan, 67’), John, Butterfield (Beck, 66’), Chapman (Anifowose, 87’), Amantchi (Boatswain, 4’).

Substitutes: Chadwick, Moore.

Goals: Ward (65’), Beck (73’).

Yellow Cards: Chapman (29’), Bowen (76’).

Yeovil Town: Ward, Ferguson, Mukena, Wannell, Jones, Cousin-Dawson, McGavin, Whittle (Greenslade, 84’), McCoy-Splatt (Daly, 61’), Matthews Lewis (Jarvis, 29’), Works (Merry, 61’).

Substitutes: Gould, Biss, Hughes.

Goals: Ferguson (90+6’)

Yellow Cards: Wannell (42’), Jarvis (60’), Daly (62’)

Red Card: Cousin-Dawson (90+2’)

Attendance: 1,546 (148 away)