Gateshead
York City FC
In a game where York City were looking for revenge for a 3-0 defeat a week ago, Gateshead were hoping to build on a result which lifted them closer to safety in the Vanarama National League.
It was the Heed that opened the scoring just short of the half-hour mark. Prolific striker Danny Elliott won the ball off a York midfielder before linking up with Dan Ward then slotting home.
The lead would only last nine minutes for the hosts, as City man Mitch Hancox's 20-yard lob caught James Montgomery off his line and cancelled out Elliott's goal.
There was still more to come in the first half, with Ward virtually replicating York's goal from a closer position on the left, chipping the ball into the far corner of the net.
A less entertaining second period saw Gateshead most dominant, but in failing to be clinical enough in front of goal, they conceded in the final minute of the 90, to the Minstermen's new signing Shaq Forde, who struck home from inside the area to share the spoils.
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Story of the match
As David Webb took charge of his first away game, he made two changes to the York City side that were beaten by the Heed a week earlier. Ryan Fallowfield came in at left back while Alex Hurst took up the left wing, respectively replacing Sam Sanders and Manny Duku.
Gateshead's eleven was unchanged from that win that ended the year on a high.
Six minutes had passed when a clever free-kick routine saw Nathan Thomas challenge for a loose ball in the Gateshead box, and in doing so, collapsed to the floor, however hopeful penalty appeals were quickly waved away.
A good chance for Lenell John-Lewis six minutes later was headed well over the bar, but it was a much better start from the Minstermen, who were trailing at this point in the reverse fixture.
Gateshead were let in for a gaping opportunity moments later, as Kamil Conteh saw his effort brilliantly blocked on the line by a York defender, before goalkeeper Ethan Ross smothered the follow up to prevent the danger.
City were beginning to lose focus 20 minutes in, as Dan Ward was allowed a shot from distance, which flew well wide of the crossbar.
That then inspired a move that saw Gateshead hit the back of the net. In-form forward Danny Elliott took the ball off Dan Pybus in the middle, in what looked like a foul, then played a quick 1-2 with Ward, before slotting home past Ross to give the hosts the lead after 28 minutes.
The reply from the Minstermen came nine minutes later, with the ball finding cult hero Mitch Hancox 20 yards from goal - the midfielder pulled off an exquisite lob to beat the 'keeper and level the score.
However the visitors had to be careful they didn't slip behind again, which they nearly did, through Adam Campbell on the right, who forced Ross into a good save to turn it wide.
Hancox was almost in dreamland when he received the ball out of the box again, after having it cut back by Thomas, though he failed to repeat his earlier antics, blazing well over.
York would live to regret missed chances, trailing for the second occasion on Tyneside - Ward was found in space on the left, cut inside to beat his man, before looping one into the far side of the goal, leaving Ross rooted to the spot.
The Heed injury time goal would take them into the break one goal up.
Relating back to the Boxing Day fixture, it was the same story, just one goal in the game, and Gateshead holding the advantage.
Frontman John-Lewis had had a free header go over in the first half, and just one minute into the second half, he had a similar opportunity. A cross from Michael Duckworth connected with the City captain, but narrowly wide.
Back down the other down, Campbell was next up to try his luck, and also failed to score, drilling one from distance, only just evading the goalframe.
54 minutes and John-Lewis had another header come close, yet so far away from an equalizer, floating wide of the far upright with James Montgomery already well-beaten between the sticks.
It seemed that 'The Shop' was going to be the focal point of any further York City goals in this game, but the trick was getting his direction right.
Other than the sporadic chances that the Minstermen had, there wasn't a drastic improvement from the poor first half display. Their game was crying out for a change, and Webb answered, allowing young forward Shaqai Forde to enter the fray and make his debut.
Gateshead were looking the more likely to hold on and secure all three points with the final 15 minutes arriving, having imposed dominance on their opponents for the best part of the game.
Manny Duku, the second attacker and substitute to come on for York, was on target 10 minutes from time, but his low shot on the turn was easily pounced on by Montgomery.
Through the Tynesiders' push for a third, they weren't far off from getting that killer goal. Lewis Knight and Danny Elliott linked up well before the latter was let in for a shot on the counter-attack, which, like most in the match, went wide of goal.
The hosts would go on to rue chances not taken heading into added time, as they fell victim to a late leveler, and it was on-loan teenager Forde who grabbed it for York.
A cross from Thomas was headed down by Duku inside the box for the substitute to strike through a crowd of bodies and into the bottom corner, where it settled.
That was the last of the action - the Heed were right to feel hard done by, having had the late goal scored completely against the run of play.
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Player of the match
Adam Campbell (Gateshead)
