Match Report: Jack McGraghan

Gateshead were on the end of a narrow defeat in the opening game of 2025 away to National League leaders York City. 

Marvin Armstrong bundled in from a corner midway through the first half to score the game’s only goal, leaving The Heed to return to Tyneside with nothing to show for their efforts at the LNER Community Stadium.

Heed boss Carl Magnay made two changes for his first selection of the New Year, with Owen Oseni’s departure to St Mirren making way for Jovan Malcolm to start in attack while Liam Humbles came into midfield in place of Callum Whelan.

Over 7,000 supporters bore witness to a first half which saw few clear chances created by either side, with Jovan Malcolm firing over from a 25-yard free-kick before Ollie Pearce’s flick on was caught by Owen Mason in the opening 20 minutes.

A corner kick led to what would be the game’s only goal as York took the lead, with the ball knocked across goal by Pearce into the path of Armstrong, who prodded past Mason to leave Gateshead a goal down.

Mason was on hand to prevent York from finding a second with 38 minutes gone, as Armstrong was denied from close range, before Tyrelle Newton sent a first-time effort into Harrison Male’s grasp after some neat work between himself and Malcolm on the edge of the box.

Gateshead looked to step onto their opponents in the second 45 in search of an equaliser, gaining ground in the final third though without creating clear cut opportunities, with Ben Worman’s shot over the bar coming closest in the opening stages.

Ben Radcliffe sent a header into Male’s arms later on, while at the other end Pearce sent an effort over the crossbar as York looked to go more direct in their search for a second goal.

The best chance of the game fell to Pearce with one minute of normal time to go when he was picked out on the counter, though he fired wide one-on-one after setting himself up with his first touch in the box.

Neither side would find the elusive second of the afternoon however, leaving Gateshead to travel back to Tyneside with nothing to show from the first game of 2025. 

Gateshead: Mason, Radcliffe, Belehouan, Grayson (Jones, 90+1’), Hannant, Williams (Adom, 79’), Booty (c), Humbles (Colkett, 79’), Worman, Newton (McGowan, 64’), Malcolm.

Substitutes: Leech, Tinkler, Richardson.

Yellow Cards: Hannant (87’), Booty (90+2’)

York City: Male, Aguiar (Fallowfield, 78’), Ajiboye (Sinclair, 61’), Akinyemi (John-Lewis, 78’), Armstrong, Batty (Nathaniel-George, 61’), Fagan-Walcott, Felix, Howe, Hunt, Pearce.

Substitutes: Chadwick, King, Watson.

Goals: Armstrong (21’)

Yellow Cards: Aguiar (45’), Fagan-Walcott (76’), Hunt (79’), Felix (82’)

Attendance: 7,554 (433 Gateshead)