Match Report: Jack McGraghan

Gateshead came from behind to earn a point on Tyneside against a resolute York City side on Boxing Day.

The Heed found themselves a goal down despite dominating possession in the first half when Ryan Fallowfield slid under Archie Mair on the counter, but their perseverance paid off when Kyran Lofthouse levelled to share the spoils with eight minutes to go.

Rob Elliot’s side faced an increasingly familiar style from the visitors at Gateshead International Stadium, with York happy to concede possession and retain their shape to restrict any space in behind their back line.

Chances were few and far between in the opening 45 minutes though the hosts pressed forward in search of an opening, with Marcus Dinanga’s header wide from a Regan Booty cross into the back post the clearest they got.

The visitors struck to open the scoring with their first real opportunity however, with Fallowfield running free at the back post to slot a cross under Mair and put his side in front.

Lofthouse looked to respond within four minutes and called George Sykes-Kenworthy into action for the first time, with his low strike back across goal tipped wide by the York stopper.

The opener set up a second half in which Gateshead controlled almost all of the possession, with York dropping deeper to protect their one-goal advantage.

Booty and Lofthouse combined almost instantly for the former to hit the side netting, while later in the half Ed Francis sent a 20-yarder straight into Sykes-Kenworthy’s hands as tensions grew.

Kenton Richardson was next to test York’s goalkeeper with a long-distance effort, forcing Sykes-Kenworthy to once again parry around his near post.

The leveller finally arrived with eight minutes to go as Lofthouse netted his long overdue first Gateshead goal, bending into the far corner after being set up by Booty’s reverse pass into the penalty area.

The Heed pushed on in search of a late winner in the game’s final moments with York penned in their own half, though Dinanga’s 20-yard free-kick cannoning into the wall proved to be the best it got as both sides took a point on Boxing Day.

Gateshead: Mair, Richardson, Storey (Hannant, 59’), Grayson (Jobe, 41’), Lofthouse, Wearne, Booty, Whelan (Hunter, 70’), Francis, Chadwick, Dinanga.

Substitutes: Bond, Lowery.

Goals: Lofthouse (82’)

Yellow Cards: Storey (54’), Jobe (64’)

York City: Sykes-Kenworthy, Fallowfield, Crookes, McLaughlin, Davies, Dyson, Kouhyar, Howe, Burgess, Woodyard, Smith.

 Substitutes: Stockdale, Cordner, Duckworth, Akinyemi, John-Lewis.

Goals: Fallowfield (33’) 

Yellow Cards: Kouhyar (53’), Sykes-Kenworthy (85’)

Attendance: 1,653 (542 away)