Middlesbrough Reserves 5-1 Gateshead Reserves
Gateshead's second string produced a Jekyll & Hyde performance against unbeaten totesport.com East Division leaders Middlesbrough on Teeside.
Impressive in the first half, the Tynesiders were abject after the break as Boro's young guns added four goals, Charlie Wyke completing a quickfire hat-trick.
"It was a really good game in the first half," said Gateshead boss Ian Bogie "we were bright and enthusiastic and played some good football.
"But it was the total opposite after the break. We gave away possession cheaply and gave Boro goals through bad mistakes.
"It was very disappointing in the second half. We defended poorly and allowed Middlesbrough to run away with the game."
The plus points included defender Carl Jones playing the full 90 minutes on his comeback game after injury while fit again goalkeeper Paul Farman got 45 minutes under his belt.
A ring-rusty Farman replaced Mark Cook at half-time with the scores level while trialist Chris Fagan had to be replaced late in the second half with cramp.
It was former Lincoln City striker Fagan who scored Gateshead's equaliser after James Gray had finished off a sweeping Boro move in the 21st minute.
The home lead, however, lasted only four minutes as Fagan, on the edge of the six yard box, headed home a Josh Gillies free kick from deep on the right.
Fagan was then denied by Boro keeper Connor Ripley while only a timely Kyle Oliver clearance prevented Brian Wake from converting Brian Marwood's cross.
It was a different story after the restart as a rampant Boro scored four goals in 21 minutes with second half sub Wyke completing a 14 minute hat-trick.
Phil Shead restored the Teesiders lead on 54 minutes and then Middlesbrough-born Wyke entered the fray to devastating affect on the hour.
Within a minute the front man drilled home Boro's third from 15 yards and a delicate chip over Farman stretched the lead.
Wyke then converted Jarrett Rivers' cross to make it five in the 75th minute to leave Gateshead well beaten against their Championship hosts.
Middlesbrough Res: Ripley, Shead, Otte (Atkinson 61), Oliver, Weldon, Pilatos, Fowler, K.Edwards, Roushias (Wyke 60), Gray (Rivers 64), Park. Sub (not used): Park
Gateshead Res: Cook (Farman 45), Marwood, Brown, Gillies, Jones, Gilbert, Clarke, Fisher, Wake, Fagan (Scott 72), Baptist. Subs (not used): J.Bogie
