Match Report: Jack McGraghan

Gateshead returned to Vanarama National League action in style after a two-week break with a 4-0 win at Wealdstone.

Two first-half penalties from Luke Hannant put The Heed in the driving seat at the midway point, before substitute Jovan Malcolm struck twice in the second 45 to seal three points at Grosvenor Vale.

Carl Magnay handed three players their Gateshead debuts in Ruislip, with George Shelvey, Jack Roles and Branden Horton all starting on a wet afternoon at Wealdstone.

The visitors took control early on with Will McGowan and Louis Flower both connecting with crosses and sending just wide of goal, before the latter was involved in the game’s first talking point when he was felled in the box by James McAvoy, only for his protests to be waved away by the referee.

Flower would win the first of two penalties on the half-hour mark however when he was brought down in the box by Jack Cook, allowing Hannant to step up and convert from 12 yards to hand his side the advantage.

Shelvey was called upon to prevent a Wealdstone equaliser five minutes later when he tipped wide of his far post at full stretch, before Gateshead were handed another spot kick on the stroke of half time.

Regan Booty’s ball into the box was chased down by Flower, who was again clipped by Cook in the box to give Hannant the opportunity to slot home his 10^th National League goal of the season from the spot.

Flower continued to be a thorn in The Stones’ side until his forced withdrawal due to injury on the hour mark, with the forward hacked down on the counter attack by Kallum Cesay and ultimately replaced by Malcolm.

The latter wasted little time in making his mark, connecting with fellow substitute Liam Humbles on the left flank before driving into the box and sending a low strike in off the post, via the back of goalkeeper Luca Gunter.

Malcolm would be denied a second in the 90^th minute by a smart low stop from Gunter after a similar run on the left, before notching his second when he headed Hannant’s cross into the far corner for his third league goal of the season.

Gateshead’s win held their grip on fifth place in the National League, taking them nine points clear inside the play-off places in the process. 

Gateshead: Shelvey, Tripp, Tinkler, Jones, Hannant, Horton (Thompson, 90+5’), Roles (Humbles, 67’), Booty, Worman (Adom, 77’), McGowan, Flower (Malcolm, 61’).

Substitutes: Bond, Colkett, Bramwell.

Goals: Hannant (32’ (pen), 45+2’ (pen), Malcolm (68’, 90+2’)

Yellow Cards: Jones (52’)

Wealdstone: Gunter, Boldewijn, Cesay (Dyer, 84’), Cook, Eastmond (Obiero, 72’), Georgiou (Hutchinson, 67’), Grant, Mariappa, McAvoy, Reid, Sohna.

Substitutes: Baptiste, Berkeley-Agyepong, Clarke, Jeffcott.

Yellow Cards: Eastmond (21’), Reid (40’), Cook (45’), Cesay (59’).

Attendance: 1,323 (72 Gateshead)