Match Report: Jack McGraghan

Gateshead extended their unbeaten National League start to five games with a 1-1 draw at Oldham Athletic on Bank Holiday Monday.

Goals in either half from Tyrelle Newton and Manny Monthe saw both sides take a point at Boundary Park, leaving Gateshead second in the league table ahead of Saturday’s clash with table-toppers Eastleigh.

Rob Elliot rung in the changes following his side’s win over Yeovil Town only 48 hours before Monday’s kick off, most notably seeing Charlie Colkett and Mark Beck make their first starts for The Heed.

Gateshead got off to the perfect start and took the lead after just 10 minutes through Newton, who shifted onto his right foot from 25 yards and sent a low strike into the bottom corner to score his first Heed goal.

Elliot’s men largely controlled possession throughout the opening 45 without creating too many opportunities on goal, while Oldham occasionally tested Tiernan Brooks at the other end.

The Heed’s stopper was called upon to block Monthe’s effort from inside the box midway through the half to preserve his side’s lead, and Beck could have extended that when he almost met Regan Booty’s cross in the box only to miss by mere inches.

The hosts emerged for the second 45 with renewed energy however and applied pressure from the off, leading to Monthe’s equaliser after 10 minutes as he prodded Dan Gardner’s free kick past Brooks.

Oldham thought they had a second when Jean Belehouan’s misdirected back pass came back off the post and dropped to a blue shirt, only for Brooks to smother efforts from Harry Charsley and Mike Fondop.

Kenton Richardson was next up to throw himself in the line of fire to keep the game level, sliding in front of Charsley’s point-blank effort to prevent the hosts from edging in front.

Brooks was on hand once again late on to keep out Jesurun Uchegbulam’s strike, while at the other end Kain Adom fired over the bar after Tom Allan’s cross was narrowly missed by Callum Whelan, but both sides’ efforts proved fruitless with the score locked at one-each come full time. 

Gateshead: Brooks, Tinkler, Richardson, Belehouan (Storey, 67’), Hannant, Adom, Booty, Colkett (Worman, 46’), Newton (Oseni, 67’), McGowan (Whelan, 60’), Beck (Allan, 76’).

Substitutes: Moss, Butterfield.

Goals: Newton (10’)

Yellow Cards: Adom (54’), Storey (87’), Booty (90’)

Oldham Athletic: Hudson, Hobson, Raglan, Monthe, Ogle (Caprice, 77’), Lundstram, Conlon, Gardner (Dolan, 68’), Uchegbulam, Charsley, Norwood (Fondop, 61’).

Substitutes: Moloney, Kitching, Hogan, Hammond.

Goals: Monthe (55’)

Yellow Cards: Lundstram (45+2’)

Attendance: 5,583 (213 Gateshead)