Spennymoor Town 0-1 Gateshead
18/07/2010, by Jeff Bowron
A Jonny Allan goal 17 minutes from time gave Gateshead their first pre-season friendly win with a hard earned 1-0 victory over Spennymoor Town at the Brewery Field.
The Northern League champions gave a Gateshead side missing a host of first teamers a real run for their money in an entertaining game in front of a 400 strong crowd.
Goalkeeper Paul Farman was comfortably the game's top performer making a string of saves to keep an impressive Spennymoor at bay.
After Allan had broken the deadlock Farman had to save a Stephen Capper penalty to ensure Gateshead ended a run of three consecutive single goal warm up defeats.
The Moors included a number of players with Gateshead connections while management pair Jason Ainsley and Perry Briggs both played for Gateshead.
With neither Paul Heckingbottom or David Brown playing midfield man Andy Ferrell had to deputise at left back.
At 26 Ferrell was the elder statesman of a very young starting eleven that included trialist centre back Dan Parker.
Spennymoor started with eight players previously with Durham City and they could have been two up in the opening seven minutes.
Capper's free kick was headed back across goal by new signing Leon Ryan for Steven Richardson, released by Gateshead, to head goalwards where Farman saved at the post.
Mathew Welch then fed Gavin Cogden who turned sharply. The striker's shot was saved by Farman who then reacted well to save Welch's follow up effort.
Farman then scrambled a Ryan header off the line as Gateshead were on the ropes - but not on the canvas.
Capper fired a 25 yard shot straight at Farman while Ryan's height again posed a problem as he headed another set play past the post.
Gateshead were anonymous as an attacking force in the opening 45 minutes on a surface that played better than it looked.
The Tynesiders first attacking threat came on 25 minutes when Craig Baxter's cross caused confusion in the home defence but Nathan Fisher's shot was blocked by Ryan.
Capper then sent Richardson clear at the other end but Farman again excelled, coming out of his goal to make a crucial block.
Kris Gate almost put Fisher in after a good run but Kallum Griffiths got across to snuff out the danger while Alex Francis thudded a driven free kick into the Moors wall.
A makeshift Gateshead had weathered the storm and David Dowson cut inside only to see his shot deflected tamely into the arms of Craig Turns.
Spennymoor made four changes at half-time while Gateshead introduced Allan, Brian Wake, Tyrell Burgess and Steven Baptist in the 53rd minute, trialist Mark Downey having replaced Gate at half-time.
Farman had to block an early effort from former Gateshead striker Michael Rae while Carl Jones headed a Baxter free kick over at the other end.
A Rae piledriver was parried by Farman above his head as the Moors called the early tune before Gateshead finally made their professional status count.
Wake and Allan combined well up front with the former again impressive without finding the goal his all round display merited.
The former Carlisle striker had a golden chance on the hour when in on goal but his shot hit the underside of Turns and was cleared before it reached the goal.
Wake then had a shot deflected into the side netting with Allan failing to get enough purchase with his header from the resultant corner.
The breakthough came in the 73rd minute when Wake's through ball released Allan who shot past the advancing Turns and into the far corner.
Downing's 40 yard shot then just cleared the bar with Turns struggling before the Moors were given the chance to level from the penalty spot.
Craig Ruddy's ball inside Ferrell saw Rae leave the stand-in left back trailing with Ferrell then adjudged to have brought down the striker inside the box.
Farman, however, threw himself to his right to palm away Capper's spot kick with Wake then having a shot deflected wide and Jones putting another powerful header over the bar.
Apart from the outstanding Farman, Jones and Wake were Gateshead's top performers with Allan showing glimpses of the form that made him a fans favourite at Northwich Victoria and Baxter putting in a decent shift at right back.
An entertaining game played at a much quicker pace than the midweek friendly against Morton had ended in Gateshead's favour, with Ian Bogie now taking his side to Harrogate Town on Tuesday.
Gateshead: Farman (Dawson 79), Baxter, Ferrell, Gate (Downey 45), Parker, Jones, Francis, Fisher (Allan 53), Dowson (Wake 53), Gillies (Burgess 53), Marwood (Baptist 53)
