Match Report: Jack McGraghan

Gateshead were dealt an Easter Monday defeat at Hartlepool United to leave their play-off hopes still in the balance with two games remaining. 

Pools led by two at the break after strikes from Luke Charman and Reyes Cleary in the opening 45, before Jovan Malcolm’s free kick restored hope for The Heed three minutes after the interval.

Mani Dieseruvwe netted a third on 72 minutes to restore Hartlepool’s two-goal advantage, with Jamie Bramwell’s late header proving only a consolation for Gateshead.

Carl Magnay brought Ryan Bartley back into the side for the second test of the Easter double header at The Prestige Group Stadium, with Gateshead five points inside the play-off places ahead of kick off.

A quiet opening in terms of chances would lead to Hartlepool dealing the first blow on 25 minutes, as Cleary’s free kick was parried upwards by Tiernan Brooks for Charman to nod the rebound into the back of the net.

Cleary would come close to fortuitously scoring himself three minutes later via a deflected strike from the edge of the box, which Kenton Richardson would manage to head off the line at his far post.

Ryan Bartley would fire wide from distance as The Heed grew frustrated at the other end, before Cleary would get himself on the scoresheet two minutes before the break after Luke Hannant’s tackle fell into the Pools forward’s path in the box for him to put through Brooks’ legs.

Malcolm would give Gateshead a spark three minutes into the second 45 when his 25-yard free kick was helped into the near post by Pools goalkeeper Adam Smith, and The Heed would be the ones in control immediately afterwards.

Liam Humbles was teed up by Regan Booty on the edge of the box before curling wide moments later, and Malcolm would come inches away from connecting with Joe Grayson’s curling ball to the back post as Gateshead searched for a leveller.

It was Hartlepool who struck next to regain their two-goal lead however, with Cleary’s powerful shot from the edge of the box blocked into Dieseruvwe’s path by Brooks, allowing the forward to lift over the goalkeeper and tap in from close range.

Bramwell headed home his first Gateshead goal from Booty’s deep free kick in the 90^th minute to give his side a chance late on, but his effort was to no avail as the scoreline remained at 3-2.

Defeat saw Gateshead fall to seventh in the National League table, inside the play-off places by two points ahead of the final two games of the campaign.

Gateshead: Brooks, Bartley, Richardson, Grayson (Bramwell, 76’), Hannant, Horton, Booty, Akinola (Colkett, 75’), Humbles (Nouble, 64’), Newton (Johnson, 74’), Malcolm.

Substitutes: Bond, Worman, Sellars-Fleming.

Goals: Malcolm (48’), Bramwell (90’)

Yellow Card: Bramwell (81’), Nouble (90’) 

Hartlepool United: Smith, Charman, Cleary (Darcy, 82’), Dieseruvwe (Madine, 87’), Featherstone, Ferguson, Grey (Campbell, 73’), Miley, Sass-Davies (Hunter, 39’), Sheron, Stephenson.

Substitutes: Folarin, Foreman, Ombang.

Goals: Charman (25’), Cleary (43’), Dieservuwe (72’)

Yellow Card: Charman (66’), Hunter (89’)

Attendance: 4,160 (518 Gateshead)