Match Report: Oliver Spark

Ten-man Boreham Wood came away with three points after fending off Gateshead’s fightback.

Gateshead lined up at the GIS with a severely injury-hit squad to face Boreham Wood, a side that had never won on Tyneside, and in a fixture that has seen five draws out of the last six times it has been played.  

The visitors made the best of the first five minutes. In the third minute Matt Rush saw the ball come to him at point-blank range after a cross from Abdul Abdulmalik, with Preston Leech making an excellent stop on the line.  

Then, in the fourth minute, Josh Home and Charlie O’Connell came together in the box and after O’Connell went down, referee Melissa Burgin harshly pointed to the spot. After a slow and deliberate run-up, Zak Brunt fired high into the roof of the net to give the visitors the lead.  

A steady ten minutes followed, where Gateshead produced their best move of the match with Josh Home, Kain Adom and Harry Chapman linking up on the right, leading to the former’s shot being blocked.  

Just after Gateshead’s attack, the visitors had a golden opportunity to make it two. Jeff King squared the ball to Matt Rush, who, from a yard out, managed to sky the ball over the bar.  

At the other end, Kai Pennant broke through and was controversially brought down on the edge of the box, but nothing was given. In the same spell Kain Adom took the ball on the edge of the box, breaking in and working an angle on the left and launching a thunderous strike that smashed the underside of the crossbar.  

The Wood’s Abdul Abdulmalik continued to cause issues for Gateshead, this time on the right. He worked a shooting opportunity just inside the box and let fly on a powerful shot destined for the far corner if it weren’t for Brooks saving low down with his legs.  

Not long after his save, Brooks sent the ball high up the pitch, finding Adom who found himself goal side and through. Joe Newton was the last man back for the Wood and hauled Adom down, seeing a straight red card as a result.  

Harry Chapman found himself with space on the outside of the area and worked into the box to get his shot away, which unfortunately only reached the side netting. Shortly after, Kian Pennant saw his shot blocked by Ted Curd in the Boreham Wood goal and out for the Heed’s first corner of the game.  

Adom again found himself in a shooting position, but his effort was straight at Curd and comfortably saved as we entered seven minutes of added time at the end of the first half.  

In a good spell for Gateshead Max Melbourne did well to head the ball back across goal after a looping cross, the header fell for Curtis Edwards whose shot was saved by Curd.  

Next in a long line of efforts was Adom again, who worked the ball onto his left foot and teed up a thunderous strike that brushed the outside of the near post as it sailed out of play.  

Josh Home had the last attempt of the half and his low effort was saved by Curd with a block. After the sending off, Gateshead were much improved, with a spell in the closing minutes of the half that deserved a goal. The match remained 0-1 at halftime.  

Both teams came out unchanged for the second half after a cracking first 45. Shortly after, former Gateshead player Regan Booty came on for Abdulmalik who had been causing problems all afternoon.  

Jacob Butterfield worked the first clear-cut chance of the second 45 with a range from effort requiring a fingertip save from Curd. A glancing header from David Ferguson from the corner needed saving too, but the Edwards shot that finished that spell went narrowly over by its own accord after a good attacking showing from Gateshead.  

Ferguson misplaced a pass that looked to have been enough invitation for Boreham Wood to bear down on goal unchallenged, but Ferguson recovered and the immediate threat was cleared. Only a hopeful effort from the Wood troubled the defence, but it flew narrowly over the bar.  

Butterfield had another left-footed effort from outside the box, this time saved more comfortably by Curd. 

In the 68th minute, Chapman was set free, thundering down the left and playing Hurst in whose shot beat the keeper but was blocked by defender Chris Bush.  

After such a good second half, Gateshead were delivered a hammer blow as Zak Brunt took the ball and fired a beautiful curling effort into the top right corner, giving Brooks no chance and the visitors a two-goal lead.  

The game fell flat after that with no clear-cut chances. Callum Bone came on for Max Melbourne in the 84th minute, and just after Edwards fired over from 16 yards.  

The Heed made two more changes on the 90-minute mark; Ethan Fitzhugh and Lucas Lowery came on for Chapman and Pennant, respectively.  

On 95 minutes, former Heed player Regan Booty chipped Tiernan Brooks from near the halfway line, rounding off the scoring this evening at the GIS.  

Gateshead made their man-advantage count in their play but without finding the finishing touch. A great strike against the run of play burst the bubble on the Heed’s comeback, and the match fell flat as Boreham Wood were then able to cruise to a 0-3 win. 

Gateshead: Brooks, Flint (Hurst 61’), Williams, Melbourne (Bone 74’), Ferguson, Butterfield, Chapman (Fitzhugh 90’), Edwards, Home, Pennant (Lowery 90’), Adom.

Substitutes: Leech, Lish, Gettins.

Yellow Cards: Melbourne (67’), Home (83’).

Boreham Wood: Curd, Bush, O’Connell, Sousa, Brunt (Payne 88’), Abdulmalik (Booty 51’), Newton, King (Coxe 88’), Reynolds, White, Rush 

Substitutes: Benton, Clayden, Norris, Richardson.

Goals: Brunt (5’ (pen), 76′), Booty (95’) 

Yellow Cards: King (13’), Reynolds (48’) 

Red Card: Newton (35’) 

Attendance: 549 (65 away)