Match Report: Josh Youll

Gateshead U18s exited the FA Youth Cup following a 7-1 defeat at South Shields.

The home side secured the first chance of the game as Olly Cresdee worked possession to Alex Thompson on the right, however the forward smashed his shot over.

South Shields took an early lead on five minutes as James Thew cut inside with great footwork before dispatching into the bottom corner from range.

The Mariners kept pressing as George McArthur tussled with Ethan Day before setting Thew, but his strike just avoided the top corner on 15 minutes.

Thew didn’t have to wait long before getting his second, as he was played in from the left before sending another accurate shot past James Walton.

Gateshead’s first chance came with 21 on the clock as Kai Sample squared it across goal to Lucas Lowery, but Kyle Seymour got his body behind it at the near post.

Cresdee then dribbled down the right flank on 29 minutes, and McArthur struggled to get a full connection with the cross as his volley went wide.

Seconds later, Cresdee teed up Harvey Smith but the number eight slung a shot wide of the post for South Shields.

A deep free-kick was then brought down by Alex Thompson in the Gateshead area, though Thew’s effort missed the target.

The Heed tried to work back into the game as Adam Metcalfe drove from the left-back position and tested Seymour from 20-yards.

South Shields got a third on the brink of half-time however, with Thew completing his hat-trick from the edge of the box.

Chances slowed until Noah Farrington made it 4-0 on the hour, heading McArthur’s cross in from the back post at a tight angle.

Fin Neary set Alex Thompson to slot into the bottom corner for Shields’ fifth of the evening with 15 to go.

Five minutes later, Neary got on the scoresheet himself after tapping home a rebound at point-blank range.

Walton held Cresdee’s free-kick in a good position, however the goalkeeper then spilled Bryan Taylor’s cross over the line for a seventh.

Mark Spencer’s side bagged a consolation on 85 minutes as substitute Kobe Bewicke converted a penalty to make it 7-1.

Gateshead: Walton, Day, Metcalfe, Pegram, Grant (Hutchinson 46’), Matty Taylor, Lowery, Archer, Sample (Benjamin 61’), Olly Thompson, Sharp (Bewicke 61’)

Subs not used: Cassap, Maughan, Stanton, Storey

Goals: Bewicke (85’)

Yellow cards: Lowery (79’)

South Shields: Seymour, Bell, Bryan Taylor, Neary, Marriott, Farrington, Cresdee, Smith (Duffy 71’), Alex Thompson, Thew (Fletcher 56’), McArthur (Porthouse 63’)

Subs not used: Armstrong, Hegarty, Errington, Rhodes

Goals: Thew (5’, 17’, 45+1’), Farrington (60’), Alex Thompson (75’), Neary (80’), Bryan Taylor (83’)

Attendance: 384