Gateshead on upward curve

May 5 2008 The Journal

THE good times returned to Gateshead on Saturday amid ecstatic scenes at the International Stadium, writes MALCOLM PRATT.

Promotion to Blue Square North was achieved with a play-off final victory over Buxton and another step taken along the road back into the Football League.

The transformation has been achieved in a year by manager Ian Bogie but he refused to take the credit, instead heaping praise on his squad which has performed so well, especially since the turn of the year.

“We’ve suffered only one defeat since losing on New Year’s day and I don’t think anyone will deny that we are worthy of going up,” he said. “We have enjoyed a phenomenal run but we still had to beat Buxton.

“Everybody had us home and dry because we had beaten them 4-0 and 5-0 in recent weeks but I told the players over and over again that it was Buxton’s cup final and our cup final. I knew they would come here and try to block us out of the game and that’s what happened. They put 10 men behind the ball and no doubt hoped to nick a goal on a breakaway. But once again we kept a clean sheet.

“The first half was a bit cat and mouse but once we took the lead four minutes into the second period they had to come at us and it was a different game. You are always a bit uneasy leading by just the odd goal so when Paul Brayson made it two 11 minutes from the end I was a lot more confident.”

It was Kris Gate’s strike on 49 minutes which set Gateshead on their way after Graeme Armstrong had fired over following a good link-up between Carl Jones and David Southern. Buxton then began to show more adventure with substitute James Turley prominent. It took a good save from keeper Paul Musselwhite to keep Gateshead in front.

Mark Lees then headed over when he should have done better and with Gateshead beginning to show signs of nerves, they were calmed in the 79th minute by Brayson’s goal.

Last night Bogie insisted the club will not rest on its laurels, saying: “These are exciting times but we mustn’t get carried away. Hopefully, I’ll be able to keep the present squad but I want to add four or five players. We’ll need a big squad in Blue Square North so preparations for next season start now.’’

GATESHEAD: Musselwhite, Baxter. Cave, Bowey, Curtis, Jones, Southern (Harwood), Turnbull (Salvin), Armstrong (Phillips), Gate, Brayson.

BUXTON: Hartley, Black, Maxfield, Bowker, Anderson, Foster (Bradley), Lennon (Turley), Towey, Ross, Lees, Agus (Walker).

Referee: D Handley (Wigan).

Attendance: 1,402.