Woking – Gateshead 0:2
Vanarama National League
17 August 2024

Michael Doyle made three changes to the side that lost at Altrincham last week: the suspended Dale Gorman was replaced by Jermaine Anderson, while Harry Beautyman and Jacob Jones came in for Deon Moore and Dennon Lewis, with neither man on the bench.

The visitors from Gateshead made just one change to the team that beat Ebbsfleet 5-1, with hat-trick hero Greg Olley as captain.

In front of a sun-drenched Laithwaite Community Stadium, the hosts, captained by Dion Kelly-Evans, blasted towards KRE, with the first attack coming their way within three minutes. Charley Kendall did some good work down the left wing and his cross found Dan Moss’s header at the far post, but a deflection took the edge off the shot.

Woking had an even bigger chance a minute later when Kendall was sent through on goal by Jermaine Anderson. Tiernan Brooks stood firm in the Heed goal and parried from the danger zone.

Gateshead failed to take the lead with nine minutes left, however, when Luke Hannant’s cross was perfect for Owen Oseni, who appeared to slot the ball home. But there was Will Jaaskelainen, who somehow stretched with all his might to deflect the ball off the post and then ran after it to score a corner.

After ten minutes, Jacob Butterfield almost found the far corner from close range, but his attempt went wide.

The game became exciting after 13 minutes when Luke Hannant appeared to tackle Jacob Jones to the ground and then kick him, before a Gateshead counter ended with Dion Kelly-Evans making a high and late tackle on Greg Olley, who was stretchered off the pitch. Kelly-Evans was sent off and we wish Olley a speedy recovery.

After a stoppage of almost an hour, play resumed with a free kick from Gateshead. The Heed began to control the game with an extra man and Jacob Butterfield was the first to test Jaaskelainen, forcing him into a good save on his right.

However, Gateshead took the lead in the 43rd minute when Kenton Richardson’s shot deflected and left Jaaskelainen no chance, flying into the bottom right corner.

The score was 1-0 at half time, with Gateshead taking advantage.

Halftime: Woking 0-1 Gateshead

After 55 minutes, Jaaskelainen prevented a shot from Oseni with another brilliant save. The Finn brilliantly parried his header from the six-yard box out of the danger zone.

In the 79th minute, Gateshead decided the game when a beautiful cross from Regan Booty was headed home by substitute Mark Beck, once again giving Heeds the advantage.

Jaaskelainen had to keep out Beck’s close-range shot again as the visitors started to turn things around. With just a minute to go he parried a shot from Callum Whelan on the left to keep the deficit at two goals. Without his heroics the result might have been even worse.

However, we wish Greg Olley a speedy recovery.

Work: Jaaskelainen, Moss, Odusina (Walker 70′), Harries, Dyche, Jones, Beautyman, Kelly-Evans, Andrews (Smith 81′), Kendall (Ward 60′), Anderson (Akinola 50′)

Submarines: Webber

Bookings: Andrews 41′, Anderson 46′, Odusina 51′, Moss 71′

Sent: Kelly Evans 14′

Gateshead: Brooks, Tinkler (Belehouan 14′ (Beck 70′)), Richardson, Storey, Butterfield, Booty, Oseni (Allan 84′), Whelan, Hannant, Olley (Worman 14′), Newton (Adom 64′)

Submarines: Moss, McGowan

Goals: Richardson 43′

Bookings: Newton 60′

Participation: 2099