Media Watch - Ian Bogie's men turn Stags party into a Wake
08/02/2010, by Jeff Bowron, Evening Chronicle
Gateshead manager Ian Bogie saluted his side after they stunned Mansfield Town's biggest crowd for eight years with a superb 2-0 win in Nottinghamshire.
An innovative 'pay what you want' scheme saw 7,261 cram into Field Mill forcing the kick-off to be delayed by 20 minutes due to crowd congestion.
What the locals expected to be a Stags party in a fourth top against third bottom clash instead saw Gateshead become the ultimate party poopers.
New signing Brian Wake marked his first start with a goal in each half and could easily have had a hat-trick while Graeme Armstrong shot straight at Alan Marriott from six yards.
Gateshead could have been home and hosed by half-time but then scored a crucial second after the break with young goalkeeper Paul Farman only being tested late in the game.
Bogie said: "It was the best performance of the season at a crucial time and a fantastic team effort. We spoiled the party big time and should have been out of sight by half-time.
"There was a huge, expectant crowd inside Field Mill but it was the 80 odd Gateshead fans that were celebrating and for us to beat Mansfield will have given them - and the players - a massive lift.
"It was a proud day for myself and the club but it is just one result. We have set the standard now and if we maintain it we wouldn't lose between now and the end of the season.
"That may not be possible but we were very good against a Mansfield side that had lost only once in 14 months on home soil and it is our first win against a top four side.
"Gate and Ferrell were tenacious in midfield and we had pace down the sides. The back line was excellent and young Farman brought off some stunning saves at the death."
Bogie also singled out new boy Wake and there is no doubt the eight new signings this year have been a timely boost in the fight against relegation.
"Wake is a player who has plied his trade in Scotland at Gretna, Hamilton and Morton as well as Carlisle and he gave a real centre forward's performance.
"He took his goals very well and could easily have had a hat-trick but there were a number of big performances and I couldn't fault the display of the whole team."
Wake picked up the ball near half way to run at the home defence for his 5th minute deflected opener and then finished clinically two minutes into the second half.
Former Mansfield trialist Farman was well protected but produced a brilliant double save in the dying minutes from Jake Speight and Gary Silk and then from Jon Shaw's close range header.
"The players were given a rollicking at half-time and rightly so," said angry Stags boss David Holdsworth "Alan Marriott kept us in it as we could have been blown away in the first half - if they can't play in front of 7,000 they shouldn't be in football."
