Gateshead (1) 3 Tinkler 24 Campbell 50 Scott 61
Gloucester City (0) 0
Attendance: 833
New Ground: 347
Admission: £10 Senior
Programme: £3
Mileage: 66/2,073
A mere Facebook post relating to parking at the stadium (there is plenty) brought several derogatory replies ranging from soulless to “the worst ground in existence” citing a complete lack of atmosphere to a warning that there would be no wheels left on my car!
In truth, let’s face it, no football ground with its pitch inside of an eight lane running track with a long jump track and pit adding to the distance, is going to provide perfect viewing. But the view from the only occupied stand was acceptable. Tonbridge Angels’ Twitter Queen had put us in touch with her nephew, Dan and father Billy, who are season ticket holders at Gateshead, and Dan explained that when the bigger clubs of the North visit, York, Spennymoor and Blyth, they would occupy and fill the stand opposite.
With only one stand open, the atmosphere could easily have been soulless but credit to the Gateshead support, they were loud, boisterous and certainly created something a long, long way from soulless.
Whilst it was not exactly definitive examination of the standard of the North against the South, on his viewing there was was not a great deal of difference between the two. Gateshead were decent; Gloucester City certainly were not and their manager Paul Groves paid with his job after a comfortable defeat.
From the outset Gloucester were on the back foot and the only surprise was that it took 24 minutes for the Heed to break through. A free kick from the left was headed clear but only to the feet of Robbie Tinkler whose first time volley from 25 yards whistled into the bottom corner giving ex-Maidstone goalkeeper Jake Cole no chance.
In a rare foray into home territory, Gateshead’s goalkeeper, Jacob Chapman made a superb double save from Jordan Youngs.
But normal service was resumed and Gateshead went close several times before a corner from Greg Olley swerved towards goal and Cole needed to touch the ball onto the crossbar and out for another corner.
Dreadful defending allowed Gateshead to increase their lead five minutes into the second half as a cross from the excellent Macaulay Langstaff, my man of the match, found Cedwyn Scott, who could not sort his feet out, but the ball found its way to Adam Campbell who scored with ease.
Just past the hour, it was game over as Scott ran on to a Langstaff pass to drive a shot past Cole.
The game rather petered out in the last half-hour, for Gateshead it was job done and Gloucester had neither the guile or cutting edge to land even a consolation blow on the home side.
It was a good afternoon, completed nicely, by being able to fill the tank of the car in these days of fuel crisis, to enable us to have a worry-free drive back to Kent.
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