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Gateshead were dealt defeat at York City in the opening game of 2024.
Goals in either half from Will Davies and Dipo Akinyemi were enough to secure victory for the hosts, with numerous Heed chances passed up in an afternoon to move on from in front of goal.
Injuries dealt Gateshead a tough hand before kick off on New Year’s Day, with 11 senior outfield players included in the match day squad in addition to goalkeeper Harrison Bond, and academy duo Lucas Lowery and Cole Sharp.
Billy Chadwick came close to putting The Heed ahead within 30 seconds of kick off however, latching onto Callum Whelan’s ball out wide before flashing inches wide of the far post from the edge of the box.
York made their first chance count four minutes later though, with Akinyemi shielding a loose ball from Regan Booty in order for Davies to collect and fire low into the bottom corner.
Gateshead dominated possession in efforts to create more opportunities and caused a goalmouth scramble through Whelan’s ball into the six-yard box, with goalkeeper George Sykes-Kenworthy gathering at the second attempt amidst challenges from Marcus Dinanga and Louis Storey.
Archie Mair was called upon to keep York from netting a second at the other end, diving low to his right to hold Paddy McLaughlin’s side-footed strike after he connected with Ryan Fallowfield’s low cross.
Gateshead were hit by yet another injury blow six minutes before the break when Ed Francis was withdrawn with a fractured skull following a collision with Davies, though the York man emerged from the duel unscathed.
The visitors were presented with the perfect opportunity to level before half-time when Luke Hannant was tripped in the box by Scott Burgess for a penalty, but Dinanga’s spot-kick was blocked by the legs of Sykes-Kenworthy.
York grabbed a second with 58 minutes gone on the break, as Akinyemi dodged Kenton Richardson’s challenge before sending a low strike past Mair to double his side’s advantage.
Gateshead created yet more opportunities to pull something back in the second period but were unable to capitalise, with Whelan sending a 10-yard effort past the near post before Dinanga fired the same way after taking the ball down on his chest in the area.
McLaughlin sent a shot over the crossbar while Mair was on hand to parry away an Olly Dyson effort at the other end, though the score remained unchanged as The Heed fell to defeat on New Year’s Day.
Gateshead: Mair, Richardson, Storey, Jobe, Lofthouse, Hannant, Francis (Hunter, 39’), Booty, Whelan, Chadwick, Dinanga.
Substitutes: Bond, Lowery, Sharp.
Yellow Cards: Jobe (85’)
York City: Sykes-Kenworthy, Fallowfield, Crookes, McLaughlin, Davies (John-Lewis, 75’), Akinyemi (Dyson, 68’), Latty-Fairweather, Howe, Burgess, Woodyard, Smith.
Substitutes: Stockdale, Cordner, Kennedy.
Goals: Davies (4’), Akinyemi (57’)
Yellow Cards: John-Lewis (85’), Sykes-Kenworthy (90+4’)
Attendance: 5,094 (315 Gateshead)