Match Report: Jack McGraghan

Gateshead were held to a 3-3 draw in an entertaining pre-season friendly at Hebburn Town.

The Heed took an early lead through Levi Amantchi, and doubled that swiftly after half time through Billy Chadwick, though a Hebburn trialist quickly pulled one back with a stunning 25-yard effort.

Trialist B headed Gateshead back into a two-goal lead 62 minutes in, before former Heed duo Elliot Forbes and Tom Allan scored a quickfire two – the latter from the penalty spot – to ensure the game ended level.

Gateshead’s night started with a flourish as they took the lead inside two minutes, with Amantchi latching onto Fenton John’s lofted ball forward before twisting onto his right foot and placing into the far corner.

Tyrelle Newton could count himself unlucky not to win a penalty with nine minutes on the clock, with the winger brought down as he charged down the right-hand side of the penalty area, but claims for a spot kick were quickly dismissed by the referee.

The Heed started the second half just as they did the first and looked to take control early, with Trialist B firing a first-time strike just wide of goal before Chadwick slotted into the far corner of the net to make it two-nil having been put through by Amantchi.

Hebburn scored six minutes later in stunning fashion however, with a Trialist in yellow and black driving through the centre and rifling an unstoppable shot past Adam Desbois to halve the deficit.

That scoreline lasted just five minutes before Trialist B headed Harry Chapman’s deep cross home past a Hebburn goalkeeper stranded after prematurely coming off his line.

The hosts then clawed back a second through ex-Gateshead defender Forbes on 68 minutes, before Allan slotted a 73^rd minute penalty past substitute stopper Pete Jameson to draw Hebburn level.

A fourth for the home side was disallowed by the offside flag in the game’s final action, leaving Gateshead with a second draw of pre-season on the back of their 1-1 stalemate at Heaton Stannington.

Gateshead: Desbois (Jameson, 64’), Lavery (Williams, 64’), Ferguson (Price (academy), 64’), Trialist A (Trialist C, 64’), Home, (Leach (academy), 64’) John (Ward, 64’), Newton (Lowery, 64’), Trialist B (Bone, 64’), Chadwick (Anifowose, 64’), Chapman (Boatswain, 64’), Amantchi (Telford, 64’).

Substitutes: Payne (academy), Lish (academy).

Goals: Amantchi (2’), Chadwick (51’), Trialist (Hebburn) (57’), Trialist B (62’), Forbes (68’), Allan (73’).