Gateshead Reserves 2-0 Norton & Stockton Ancients
A goal in each half from full back Luke Gilbert and striker Brian Wake piloted Gateshead Reserves into the final of the Durham Challenge Cup with a 2-0 victory over Norton & Stockton Ancients.
Pau Bryson's side will take on either Dunston UTS or Spennymoor Town in the final on Good Friday at the Hetton Centre, home of Eppleton FC and Sunderland reserves.
Gateshead bossed the opening half twice hitting the top of the bar through Kris Wilkinson and Steven Baptist, but Norton & Stockton hit back in the second half to dominate the final half hour.
Former Gateshead keeper Jim Provett tipped an early powerful Wake shot past the angle, Provett then saving from Luke Gilbert after Dan Lay had headed goalwards
Another Provett save denied Wake but Wilkinson should have polished off the rebound only to clip the bar from eight yards.
A Steven Baptist header then looped up onto the bar from Andy Ferrell's cross as the Tynesiders continued to press.
It was all Gateshead and they were ahead on 36 minutes when Provett was at fault when he missed a Rob Briggs corner and Gilbert forced the ball home at the back post.
Baptist almost made it two when he glanced a header just wide from a Ferrell corner on the right, Ferrell playing his last game before joining Barrow on loan.
The visitors had four efforts of goal in the first half, all straight at Paul Farman, but they should have levelled three minutes after the break when Dan Kerr race clear only to toe-poke wide as Farman advanced.
It was a costly miss as Briggs' through ball saw Wilkinson square to the unmarked Wake who tapped home to give Gateshead a two goal cushion.
That appeared to be that until the Teessiders applied late pressure and the Northern League side will wonder how they didn't score in the second half.
After Wake had shot over from 16 yards Callum Brown's cross found fellow sub Nathan Mulligan at the back post only for Craig Baxter to deflect his shot just over the bar.
Gateshead should then have made it three when sub Jordan Bogie set up Baptist but, after twisting and turning in the box, the youngster fired straight at Provett.
Norton & Stockton then had four efforts at goal in in jury time, Craig Gott dispossessing Alex Robinson to fire over and then Kerr spurned another chance when he shot straight at Farman.
Farman also denied Jamie Owens and then made a stunning save from full back Theodore Furness whose 25 yard piledriver was arrowing towards the far top corner.
"I am delighted to have made it through to the final of the Durham Challenge Cup, which was one of our aims at the start of the season," said Bryson.
"We played well in the first half and could have been more than one goal ahead, but sat back after we scored the second and allowed Norton & Stockton to come at us.
"It will be an all Gateshead final for the first time if Dunston get through. I have played for both Dunston and Spennymoor, United not Town, in the past and it should be a good final on Good Friday.
"We play Wrexham in the Blue Square Bet Premier the next day but hopefully we will still be able to field a decent side in the final."
Gateshead Res: Farman, Gilbert, Baxter, Ferrell, Heckingbottom, Lay (Robinson 74), Marwood (J.Bogie 85), Briggs, Wake, Wilkinson (Brown 62), Baptist
Subs (Not used): Porter (gk) Young
Norton & Stockton Ancients: Provett, Furness, Bishop, D.Mulligan, Gaston, S.Clarke (Brown 76), Huggins, Burton (N.Mulligan 66), J.Clarke (Owens 65), Gott, Kerr
Subs (not used): Lawson
Referee: Tony Harrington (Hartlepool)
