GATESHEAD V KING’S LYNN TOWN

FA Trophy - First Round

A surprisingly traffic free drive up the A1(M) gets me to the International Stadium in Gateshead in about forty minutes, and the benefits of the twenty thousand plus capacity ground include a sizeable car park (albeit shared today with visitors to a toy fair held in one of the function areas). A £10 concession gets me through the turnstile, beyond which a second benefit is evident - the warm indoor area to the rear of the main stand where, along a corridor, refreshment counters and a room serving as a clubhouse, complete with bar, can be found; a programme is available at £1.50.

Warmed and refreshed, entering the main stand offers a wide choice of seats but the drawback of playing in an athletics stadium becomes apparent with the pitch, inside the running track, unfamiliarly distant to those used to non-league grounds. The home fans are well spread out around me; the few visiting supporters are over on the far side, looking even more lost in that cavernous stand. But there is no need to huddle together as the weather remains mild with the good-looking pitch clearly benefiting from the delayed onset of winter.

For Gateshead, as a National League side, this first round proper is the entry point for the Trophy; King’s Lynn are a couple of levels down, in the Southern Premier League. But the visitors are on a better run of form, particularly defensively (one goal conceded in the last six games), so may give the ‘Heed’ (five games without a win) a contest.

As the teams line up another plus for the ground is apparent – the floodlights brightly illuminate the whole of the pitch (a novelty) picking out the team colours, Gateshead in white and black, King’s Lynn in yellow and blue.

Following an early Gateshead shot on target by Mitch Brundle, nothing much happens for quarter of an hour. Gateshead’s passing game is out of sorts and the approach that promises most are long balls to debutant centre forward Jordan Burrow. He wins most of them but his flicked headers fall on fallow ground.

King’s Lynn look to progress down the flanks but the Gateshead defenders look well able to cope. The visitors’ biggest threat comes from a couple of free kicks hoisted into the box for which the two centre backs go upfield and compete; again the home defence and keeper deal cope well.

Ten minutes from half time a Gateshead corner is well flighted, but clears all jumpers and reaches Gus Mafuta well beyond the far post. He hits in a fierce cross shot that Burrow, in the six yard box, clips first time up into the roof of the net. The one nil score remains unchanged to half time.

Gateshead’s second half line up sees Nyal Bell on for Sam Jones, and his pace and athleticism is soon in evidence as he outpaces a defender down the inside right channel and despite the widening angle smacks a right footer that cannons of the crossbar. Up the other end King’s Lynn midfielder Shaun McWilliams tries a long range dipping volley that is on target but lacks the elevation to beat keeper Dan Hanford.

King’s Lynn are having some success down their right wing. One cross needs Hanford to dive to intercept, the another finds centre forward Toby Hilliard on the edge of the six yard box, but he fails to connect and the chance is gone.

It looks increasingly like one goal will not be enough and Gateshead strive for another. From a corner centre half Manny Smith, who has won every header in his own half, wins one in the opposition’s box; it’s not on target but team mate Burrow wins the second header, only to put it over the bar. Burrow is soon back in the action when he swivels in the box and gets off a shot that is deflected before coming back off the foot of the post. It his is last contribution and a successful debut ends with twenty minutes left as regular centre forward Danny Johnson comes on as substitute.

This spell of Gateshead pressure is fairly relentless but frustratingly unproductive. Wes Atkinson shoots wide then Johnson gets into his stride, twice firing shots straight at keeper Alexander Street.

Into the last ten minutes King’s Lynn, having kept it to one nil, start to give it a go, but only test Hanford with a long range shot from Lee Stevenson. Gateshead counter attack with Johnson down the right; he cuts inside but is brought down, From the free kick King’s Lynn clear ineffectively and the ball is returned into the mix. From the crowd of players Manny Smith emerges with the ball at his feet and has the coolness to place it wide of Street and into the net to double the lead.

King’s Lynn try a quick response; a hard hit cross comes chest high to Danny Emmington, but the ball simply rebounds off him and into the arms of Hanford. There remains time for Jamal Fyfield to execute a mazy run through the tiring King’s Lynn midfield but his shot is blocked at the last ditch by a combination of defender and keeper. The resulting corner takes up most of the added time left and Gateshead hold on to the two nil scoreline.

The home team dominated the second half but their grip on the tie was never secure until five minutes from the end when the second goal went in. The attendance is announced and the thirty-three from King’s Lynn will have plenty of time on the way home to reflect on putting in a creditable performance, out of the Trophy but not completely out of their depth.

The two hundred or so home fans will know their team will need to play better, against better teams, to go much further the competition.