Photo by Tom Poole
York City turned Good Friday into a great one, securing a fifth win on the bounce with a 3-1 win away at Gateshead.
The Heed took the lead through Luke Hannant early on, but Ashley Nathaniel-George ensured City weren’t behind at the break, scrambling the ball home before half-time.
In the second half, Junior Luamba flew in at the back post to complete the comeback with his first goal in red and blue, before Malachi Fagan-Walcott put the cherry on top, adding another goal to the tally, and closing the scoring on Tyneside.
Adam Hinshelwood named an unchanged starting eleven to face Gateshead, with
Ollie Pearce took on an early shot for City; however, his effort in the opening minute was blocked by the leg of Kenton Richardson.
Gateshead’s first chance came when Liam Humbles’ short corner was re-received by the Heed number 15 but his shot at goal from the edge of the box was easily collected by Harrison Male.
The hosts had the opener after 11 minutes when Joe Grayson’s cross into the box was deflected into the path of Luke Hannant, who rifled a shot into the bottom left-hand corner.
Ashley Nathaniel-George could hardly believe his luck when Gateshead fed the ball to his feet on the edge of the box. His turn to the left-hand side of the box gave him room to shoot, but his effort was well kept out by Tiernan Brooks.
Gateshead came so close to doubling their advantage when Lewis Richardson was dispossessed on the halfway line. The counter attack brought a one-on-one shot from Tyrell Newton, which brought the save from Male before the rebound fell to Branden Horton, who also saw his shot saved.
The Minstermen were looking to catch Gateshead out from a set-piece when Cam John’s short pass from a free-kick allowed Pearce with room to cross, his ball met Callum Howe in the box, but his header went wide of the mark.
City drew level with not long left in the first half. Richardson’s cross from the right was flicked onto the post by Pearce before the ball rebounded out to Ashley Nathaniel-George, who steered the ball home from inside the box.
Gateshead were handed a golden chance when the ball was won back on the half-way line, but the final ball into the box from the left was a poor one, and Male saw the ball to reclaim.
Nathaniel-George came close to grabbing his second of the afternoon when he got on the end of a Pearce ball. His driven effort from just inside the box was well saved low by Brooks.
Super sub Luamba sent the York away end into carnage when he got on the end of a lovely Pearce cross before placing a tidy finish into the roof of the net.
York sealed the win on the stroke of added time when Nathaniel-George’s cross from the left caught out the entire Gateshead back line, and there was Malachi Fagan-Walcott to bring the ball around the keeper before tapping in.
The win now sets up a huge Easter Monday clash with Oldham Athletic, set to be played in front of a potential sell-out at the LNER Community Stadium.
GATESHEAD: Brooks, Haunstrup (Bartley 86′), Richardson, Booty, Humbles, Grayson, Hannant, Newton (Nouble 86′), Horton, Akinola (Worman 78′), Malcolm (Sellars-Fleming 78′).
UNUSED SUBS: Bond, Colkett, Johnson.
YORK CITY: Male, Howe, Hunt (Batty 79′), Pearce, Nathaniel-George, Armstrong (John-Lewis 87′), Richardson (Crookes 61′), John (Stones 61′), Fagan-Walcott, Sinclair (Luamba 61′).
UNUSED SUBS: Watson, Chadwick.
ATTENDANCE: 3,014 (1,493 City fans)
