Ten-man City beaten in the North East.

Gateshead 4

Hannant 16' (P)

Dinanga 47', 57', 90+3'

Oxford City 0

On their longest away trip of the season, ten-man Oxford City were beaten 4-0 at Gateshead in the Vanarama National League.

City went down to ten-men in controversial circumstances when Andre Burley was given his marching orders for two yellow cards just after the half hour mark.

The defender’s first yellow card led to, what replays indicate, a soft penalty, which Luke Hannant smashed home.

The second came as the defender stopped the host’s from taking a quick free-kick.

It was going to be tough enough against a Gateshead side flying in the National League with all eleven men on the pitch, and despite a dogged defensive display, the goals eventually came in the second-half via a Marcus Dinanga hat-trick.

Selection

Ross Jenkins made one change from the side that lost 5-2 to Eastleigh in midweek. Renny Smith dropped to the bench with Alfie Potter replacing him.

There was also positive news on the substitutes bench, as Nya Kirby returned to the squad after an injury lay-off.

First-Half

The match started as a well-contested affair between two teams that played similar styles. There was to be none of your ‘stereotypical’ non-league hoofball here…

Both team’s passing styles contributed to what was an even opening few minutes. City, in fact, started the brighter of the two teams.

From the get-go Ross Jenkins’ side looked to take an early lead, but Josh Ashby’s free-kick & Josh Parker’s header inside the first ten minutes didn’t really test Heed Goalkeeper James Montgomery as much as they would’ve liked.

However, the host’s did find the opener from the penalty spot, as Andre Burley was deemed to have fouled Dinanga.

A cross from the right-wing was sent into the box and Burley was deemed to have pushed the Gateshead striker inside the six-yard box. The referee pointed to the spot and Luke Hannant smashed the spot-kick into the top corner.

Alfie Potter almost replied instantly for City, as the Hoops came closer and closer to a goal of their own. His curled effort from inside the box tested Montgomery, but once again the Gateshead ‘keeper did well to hold the midfielder’s effort.

Then, the game changed. A free-kick was given against Burley in the middle of the pitch, and the defender’s first instinct was to stop the quick free-kick from being taken.

He did exactly that, and once the referee reached for his pocket, he had no option but to show Burley a second yellow card.

It was tough enough already with eleven players on the pitch, but the Hoops dug deep to keep Gateshead’s relentless attacks at bay. Giles Phillips & Brooklyn Kabongolo dealt with a number of crosses into the box, and Goalkeeper Tom Watson made a strong save to deny Dinanga.

Second-Half

The second-half was always going to be a struggle with the odds stacked against Ross Jenkins’ side, but any faint hopes of a comeback were disintegrated just two minutes after the interval.

Dinanga grabbed his first goal of the match after he reacted quickest to poke home a clever pass whilst one on one with Watson.

Ten minutes later, the striker had his second goal. Moreover, it was similar to his first.

Again, the Gateshead number nine was alert to the danger inside the six-yard box and reacted quickest to get the finishing touch on Luke Hannant’s cut-back. 3-0.

City did try to haul themselves back into contention but had little luck.

The relentless running of the likes of Josh Parker, Josh Ashby, Reece Fleet, Lewis Coyle & Jacob Roddy deserve praise, as they desperately tried to find a consolation for the travelling 34 supporters from Oxfordshire.

In fact, Roddy perhaps could’ve had a penalty with fifteen minutes to go, but when he was bundled over inside the box after making a darting run to the by-line, the referee remained unmoved.

In the dying moments of the game, Dinanga grabbed his hat-trick, again in simple fashion. The striker poked home another cut-back inside the box, three minutes into additional time to compound a miserable day in the North East.

Next up, Aldershot Town visit the RAW Charging Stadium on Saturday 2^nd March. See you there City fans!

Match Details

Attendance: 1,178 (34 Oxford City)

Oxford City Starting XI: 

Watson; Burley, Phillips, Kabongolo; Roddy, Coyle (Smith 74'); Fleet, Ashby, Potter (Williams-Bushell 55'); Greenslade; Parker. 

Subs not used: Humphrey-Ewers, Lumeka, Kirby

Gateshead XI: 

Montgomery; Jobe, Storey, Grayson; Adom, Hannant (Stott 74'), Francis (Hasani 74'), Whelan, Worman, Evans (Brown 58'), Dinanga

Subs not used: Cassap, McBride