Match Report: Jack McGraghan

Gateshead ended their 2026/27 pre-season schedule with defeat by one at Spennymoor Town in Rob Ramshaw’s Testimonial. 

Junior Mondal and Richie Bennett put The Moors two ahead at half time, and though Ash Boatswain struck with 77 minutes on the clock to halve the deficit, Gateshead couldn’t find an equaliser in County Durham.

There was a non-competitive debut for defender Kyle Ferguson at The Brewery Field, while Pete Jameson started from minute one in goal in The Heed’s final pre-season warm up.

Jameson was called upon in the opening minute to keep things goalless, blocking Cam Salkeld’s strike at his near post in the game’s first opportunity.

Spennymoor went in front with a scrappy opener 13 minutes in, as a corner dropped into a crowded Gateshead penalty area and was unsuccessfully cleared, allowing Mondal to place a low shot into the far corner.

Gateshead responded positively with a number of their own chances though, with Boatswain and Fenton John both denied in the box before Harry Chapman sent a first time strike just past the post.

John then tested Spennymoor’s trialist goalkeeper with a rising shot from the edge of the box, which the latter parried behind for a corner as The Heed’s pressure seemed to be mounting.

Just as it seemed that Gateshead were gaining a foothold though, Spennymoor went two ahead as Bennett headed Campbell Darcy’s lofted cross out of Jameson’s reach just before half time.

The Heed made a number of changes through the early part of the second 45 in an effort to claw something back, with David Ferguson, Tyrelle Newton, Martin Smith, Trialist B, Ben Williams and Callum Bone all introduced at various stages.

There was a lack of meaningful opportunities on goal until the 77^th minute, when Boatswain was found on the edge of the box by John and allowed to turn before smashing a low strike into the bottom corner to pull one goal back.

Trialist B dragged a 20-yard shot wide of the far post late on as Gateshead searched for an equaliser that wouldn’t come, ending pre-season with defeat in County Durham.

Gateshead: Jameson, Lavery (Williams, 74’), K. Ferguson, Robinson, Chapman (Bone, 74’), Anifowose (D. Ferguson, 46’), John (Telford, 82’), Home (Trialist B, 64’), Chadwick (Newton, 56’), Boatswain, Trialist A (Smith, 64’).

Substitutes: Desbois, Leach, Lowery.

Goals: Mondal (13’), Bennett (44’), Boatswain (77’).

Attendance: 641